After Jacob's First Love
by topaz addiction
Summary: Bella, Jacob's first love, didn't choose him - she chose the leech. When a mysterious girl named Holly moves to the reservation, sparks fly. Turns out, she's a freak too. Rated M for future chapters and themes.
1. Chapter 1

Hello! Okay, first things first:

**_THIS IS NOT MY STORY!_** It's my bestfriend's. I'm simply posting it for her.

Secondly: If you happen to be reading Heart to Heart, I'm sorry for not updating recently! My teachers all had the same thought. "Essays and ISUs are so cool! Let's all give them out now!" -party dancing here- So I will try my VERY hardest for Sunday!

ENJOY!

* * *

"Bella, please!" Jacob pleaded helplessly, knowing her decision had already been made. "It doesn't have to be like this."

"Jacob, I've made my choice; him. Don't make this any harder for me than it already is, please." Her choice trailed off, her nerves overcoming her thoughts. Her best friend pouring his heart out in front of her, and all she could think of was how much she wanted to leave.

"Bella! You have no idea what you're doing!" Jacob grabbed Bella's shoulders trying to shake some sense into her.

"I can't, I can't do this, Jacob. I have to go." Bella turned away and began walking towards the shiny Mercedes Edward had convinced her to drive instead of her truck.

"I love you, Bella! You can't do this, don't leave me." He dropped to his knees in front of her. She looked down only to see the fifteen year old boy she loved gleaming from his sad eyes.

"I have to go, Jacob." Her annoyance overbearing the remorse she felt.

"Please, Bella." Jacob cried in a low, infinitesimal whisper, tears swelling in his eyes.

"This is good-bye, Jacob." She wiggled from his grasp and walked to her car without glancing back, taking his heart with her.

* * *

Cool wind blew as the morning sun began to rise. La Push was beginning to wake up as light touched the roof of each cabin scattered throughout the forest that engulfed the reserve. The water glistening like diamonds only made Jacob think of her.

"Maybe it's because his skin sparkles in the sunlight…" He was trying as hard as his mind would allow, finding an explanation as to why she chose a leech over him. He glanced down at his paw. The long reddish brown fur had a blood red tinge in the sunlight. Jacob wondered if Bella was thinking of him. He had been ravaging the forest for two days in his wolf form, too angry to change back into a human. Sam had already tried to calm him down but it was no use, if he didn't stop thinking of her he'd remain a wolf forever.

"Jacob…" The voice of Leah Clearwater entered his mind. Jacob let out a small grunt; they hadn't exactly been on the best terms since her stupidity ended up in Jacob breaking half the bones in his body during a war two months earlier with a coven of bloodthirsty, newborn vampires.

"Leah, really, just leave me alone." Jacob answered. What he hated about being a werewolf more than anything was that the rest of his generation who've made the change could read his thoughts in their wolf forms. It resulted in zero privacy and the last person who he wanted in his thoughts was Leah.

"Jacob, I'm coming to find you, we need to talk." Within the next ten minutes a smaller, grey wolf emerged from the trees.

"This isn't helping, Leah, whatever you think you're doing." Jacob said in a harpy tone.

"Will you just listen to me please?" She begged. Her eyes dropped; it was hard to imagine Leah Clearwater as timid. The previous couple years had been very hard for Leah to live through. Originally, Sam and Leah had been in love before Sam had made the change, he was first. That put a lot of stress on everyone because no one knew, or could know, what was going on with him, but when her cousin Emily had come down from the Makah reserve to visit, Sam imprinted on her. Leah was heartbroken. Then not to long after her father Harry, one of the remaining Quileute elders, passed away. Of course, everyone gave her enough sympathy to last her a lifetime, the changed ones didn't. She used the mind reading to her advantage and began bringing up thoughts of the past, making everyone relive what should have been laid to rest.

"I don't exactly have a choice, do I, Leah?" Jacob said sullenly.

"Jacob… can you please try to change back so no one else hears this. I don't want to anyone to be mad at me." Leah looked full of remorse.

"It's a little late for that," Mumbled Jacob. "You've done a pretty good job of making everyone miserable up until this point."

"Please, Jacob; be a little more understanding here, I'm trying to help." Leah pleaded.

"I don't need your sympathy." Jacob began walking away.

"Yes, you do." Leah was right, he need someone, anyone, at this point. "Where are you going?"

"Give me a sec." Jacob walked off into the trees and emerged again five minutes later, human, wearing only a pair of track pants. Leah followed, going behind the giant boulder that sat in the middle of the beach and emerged wearing a pair of shorts and a sweater; her copper skin glowing in the sunlight and her black hair loose down her back. "Alright," Jacob sat down on the sand beside her.

"Jacob, as hard as it may be, you need to forget about her. Dwelling only makes the emptiness feel emptier." She toyed with a piece of driftwood sitting beside her.

Jacob chuckled, "It's not that easy."

"Jacob, it's not like you imprinted on her or anything, it's possible to forget."

"You would know right? You like to remind us everyday that Sam left you for Emily when you know damn well he couldn't help it, and you can sit here and tell me not to dwell." Jacob looked at her with an empty stare, he was right; she was the prime example of someone who would never forget.

"I'm trying to make sure you don't make the same mistakes I have. Jacob, you can move on. Find someone else. She was only your first love." Leah said with a sure tone in her voice.

"I guess you're right, Leah, it'll just be hard. It's almost impossible. Everything around here reminds me of her. I can still smell her! And to think she will never smell like that anymore, that fresh, clean, smell of my Bella." He glanced around. Everything, the trees, lake, cliffs, and beach, everything reminded him of her. "Now she's going to smell like a…" He paused for a second, trying to prevent himself from changing into a wolf again out of rage.

"A leech?" Leah finished his sentence. Jacob sighed nervously. What if she had made the change already? What if her heart had stopped beating in the night and as they were speaking she was morphing into a demonic, blood-thirsty leech like… he couldn't bring him self to think of the name.

"Jacob? She isn't worth what she put your through." Leah was right, again, and if Leah Clearwater was actually beginning to make sense then Jacob knew it was time to forget.

For the remainder of the summer, Jacob would snap at any given moment. He was constantly on edge in regards to things that reminded him of her. He was finished saying her name, he burned a sweater that she left at his house, and he sold the motorcycle they built together. He even went so far as to avoid Charlie, Bella's father and practically a member of the family, whenever he came over to watch a basketball game with Jacob's father, Billy. Some nights would become too much to handle and Jacob would run off his anger in the forest as a wolf; he needed the release. As the days turned into weeks Jacob was beginning to block out his thoughts of Bella but on occasion they would rise out of no where and send him into a spin cycle for hours on end. It also didn't help that every night he had a dream that centered her.

No matter how annoyed his friends or Billy got, he still couldn't shake the thought of her completely out of his mind. She was Jacob's first love, and the way he felt himself heading, she would be the only love.


	2. Chapter 2

**_THIS IS NOT MY STORY!_** It's my bestfriend's. I'm simply posting it for her. She's the genius, not me. Does everyone understand?  
Just keep that in mind. :)

* * *

"Come on, man" Quil Ateara, one of Jacob's best friends, urged childishly

"Come on, man" Quil Ateara, one of Jacob's best friends, urged childishly.

"Seriously, Quil, I don't feel like it. I don't exactly like sitting around a bonfire and being the only one without someone at their side." Jacob said, grabbing a black sweater off his bedroom floor.

"Jake, you know there will be other people there. Don't give me the same shit you gave Leah." Quil's annoyance was beginning to seep through the sympathy he had once felt for Jacob after Bella left.

"Yeah, but no one I want to be with." Jacob sulked as he walked into the kitchen. Billy was sitting in his lazy boy in front of the television, his wheelchair set up beside him.

"Jacob, I think you ought to go to that bonfire." His Father suggested from behind the television, the sounds of a basketball hitting a court echoed through the cracking speaker of the old television.

"Dad, I think you ought to get a new TV." Jacob mocked in response to his Father's interruption.

"Don't be a smart ass, Jake, you need to stop dwelling. It has been almost two months." Billy said, lifting his lifeless body out of the lazy boy and into his wheel chair.

"What is everyone's problem? Why can't you all just get off my case?" Jacob sulked. He opened the cupboard and grabbed a jumbo-sized package of unopened Oreos.

"Man, we want you there; that's why!" Quil snatched the Oreos right out of Jacob's hands and laughed.

"What the hell, give 'em back!" Jacob shouted, annoyed. Quil jumped across the kitchen and popped two cookies into his mouth at the same time. "Quil, don't test me."

Quil's smirk remained on his face, gradually growing in size as he popped each Oreo into his mouth.

"That's it!" Jacob launched himself across the room and almost knocked Quil straight off his feet. Billy wheeled back quickly to dodged the flying Quil.

"Outside, boys!" Billy yelled. The prospect of having everything in the house smashed to smithereens made Billy shudder.

Stabling himself, Quil, with the Oreos in his hands, bolted out the door with a bodacious laugh echoing his loud steps. Jacob followed just as fast, laughing as well. Quil ran barefoot onto First Beach, dodging rocks and driftwood, but Jacob was too fast for him. Jacob hit in from behind and knocked Quil to the ground; Oreos flew everywhere. Jacob picked himself off the ground and walked over to the annihilated package of Oreos and picked it up; it was still half full.

"I win." Jacob said satisfied. He began walking back towards his house; passing a whimpering and partially hysterical Quil, who was still on the ground.

"That'a boy!" Quil said, sucking up the excruciating pain. "I'll see you at seven."

"Fine, I'll be there." Jacob said, giving in. As he walked back to his house his memory flashed back to the time when he brought Bella to the bonfire where Billy and Old Quil had explained the family history to the newcomers. The light in her eyes that night filled the memory but as Jacob tried to envision them more and more, they turned black, reeking of thirst and bloodshed. Jacob trembled.

"_She's not your Bella anymore Jake, let it go." _He tried to convince himself otherwise after cursing himself for thinking of her name.


	3. Chapter 3

**_THIS IS NOT MY STORY!_** It's my bestfriend's. I'm simply posting it for her. Remember that. :)  
Enjoy, you guys! :)

* * *

The rest of that day was seemingly uneventful

The rest of that day was seemingly uneventful. Jacob took it upon himself to clean the house out of boredom, sending Billy into a state of shock.

"Unless there is some cloning factor of the werewolf gene that I am unaware of you need to tell me what you did with my son." Billy stammered as he wheeled himself out of the bathroom, which had been scrubbed and now actually smelled fresh. The house looked as if civilized people lived there. The only time it had ever been this clean was when his sister came to visit. Jacob shrugged.

"Well, alright then, I'll make us dinner." said Billy.

Jacob finished up vacuuming the family room and put all the supplies back into the dusty linen closet that was rarely opened. Billy wheeled himself around the kitchen, throwing random ingredients into a large pot that sat atop the stove. He grabbed a large jar of frozen meat sauce from the freezer and emptied the contents into the pot. Within a half an hour there was a large bowl of pasta, which could easily have fed a family of five, sitting on the table. Jacob devoured the majority of the bowl himself; not taking into consideration that a napkin would have done some good. After slathering down his last portion with two large glasses of milk Jacob walked to his room to get changed.

"Thanks, Dad." Jacob said from down the hall. When he got to his room he realized that it was the only room he hadn't cleaned. Clothes had been thrown everywhere, cereal bowls were piled up on the desk, and an old math textbook he had forgotten to take back was ripped to shreds and sprawled in various spots around the room. He grabbed a random sweater off the floor and put a pair of jeans on. Jacob then found a piece of string and tied his hair back into a ponytail; he always lost the elastics he'd 'borrow' from Leah or Emily.

"See ya' later, Dad, don't wait up." Jacob said as he walked out of his bedroom and into the kitchen.

"Hey, kid," Billy called as Jacob was about to dash out the door. Jacob turned around. "Have fun tonight, okay?"

"I'll try." Jacob gave a faint smile and continued outside. The air was damp, but nice. Jacob never liked it when it was hot. The walk to the cliffs was about fifteen minutes away. As he walked down the middle of the road he listened to the sound of the rustling trees that surrounded him. A raven squawked in the distance as he reached the base of the cliff and started into the forest surrounding it. Any regular person would have been scared, but Jacob was larger than anything out there. As he reached the edge of the forest he saw a glaring orange light radiating through the trees. The sounds of Quil and Embry could be heard miles away; their booming laughter and loud-mouths were very distinctive. Jacob noticed a good two dozen people as he emerged from the trees.

"There's my man! Quil wasn't shitting us." Embry said as he embraced Jacob in a friendly hug. Jacob hadn't really seen anybody all summer besides Leah and Quil, and occasionally Sam. Sam was the leader of the werewolves; he sat at the north end of the fire with his arms gently around Emily. In the light of the fire, you couldn't see the scars that lined the right side of her face. Her beauty radiated but was interrupted when she turned to see Jacob. The scars had left her face twisted and it took a lot to see that she was beautiful regardless. A smile filled her face as she got up to greet Jacob.

"Hey, you," she said as she wrapped her arms gingerly around his waist. Jacob hugged her back. "Long time no see, huh?"

"Yeah, really, I've missed you guys." He looked up at Sam who remained seated by the fire. He acknowledged Jacob with a satisfied nod. There were more people in attendance than Jacob had expected. A group of Seth's friends were conjugated around the opposite side of the fire. Their immaturity was well hidden; Jacob guessed they were trying to form some sort of impression on the seniors. Embry sat around with a few of the guys on the rugby team and Leah and Quil were talking to a girl Jacob had never met before. Squinting his eyes through the flames of the bonfire, he could make out that she obviously was not from the area.

Her hair was long like Leah's but was evidently lighter than everyone else's; and wavier. She looked naturally pale from the tan lines around her neck. Jacob could also make out faint freckles along the tops of her cheeks. He watched her for a moment, examining the way her eyes glistened with the reflection of the fire. Even in the dark, she radiated. Jacob was dumbfounded by the sudden presence of this girl. A series of giggles and shouts interrupted his trance. Seth had fallen backwards off the log he was sitting on and was screeching as a younger girl poured water from a bottle onto his face. Even after he began to fill out once he made the transition into a werewolf; Seth still appeared gangly and spastic to Jacob.

After pulling his eyes away from the quarrels of Seth and his friends, Jacob noticed that he wasn't the only one who was interested by the presence of this new girl. Sam and Emily were casually glancing over at her, faintly whispering to each other. Jacob found himself a seat beside them.

"Who is she?" He asked casually, trying to make it seem like he was just curious.

"Her name is Holly; Holly Juturna." Emily said, still starring at the girl.

"Wait, Juturna? Isn't that the last name of the old couple that lives off Highway 7?" Jacob asked.

"Yeah, the deserters, she's their grand-daughter." Sam said, starring back at the fire. For years there had been a controversy between the Juturna family and the rest of the native Quileute's. Gordon Juturna was born and raised Quileute and lived on the reservation like the rest of the elders. His grandfather, Kase, had been an elder back when Ephiram Black, Jacob's grandfather, had ruled over the tribe. After the coming of the Cullen family years back, not wanting to get involved in a confrontation, Kase withdrew his family from the tribe and said that they would never be the cause of a conflict that could jeopardize the whole reservation. Kase knew that these 'cold ones' meant to cause no harm to the tribe and felt the rest of the elders edginess in regards to an attack. After Kase withdrew his family, the Juturna's remained on the outside of the Quileute inner society. No one was sure if the gene had been passed on into the decedents of Kase Juturna. Gordon had two older brothers who had left the reservation altogether; he was the only descendent to remain in Washington. However, Gordon and his wife Loreen, a descendent from the Makah tribe, had one daughter who was Billy's age.

"So she's Fran's daughter?" Jacob questioned, looking at the girl. He only faintly remembered Fran; she had been a friend of his mother's who moved away after she passed away. The last time he had saw her was when she came to say good-bye to Billy two months after the funeral. As Jacob looked closer, Holly was a direct reflection of her mother, only with lighter skin and hair. Their features were very distinct; moderately high cheekbones, massive eyes, plump lips, and a slender, but athletic, figure with legs for days.

"Yep, I heard her dad died six months ago, but you'd never think it." Emily said, still keeping a close watch on the girl. Her expression was clearly clueless. Holly was still talking to Quil and Leah. She laughed at something Quil had said and threw her head back in a fit of laughter. Emily was right, you would never guess that she had suffered that much of a loss.

"I'm going to grab a drink." Jacob arose from the log and paced over to the cooler that sat atop of Embry's car. The sound of Skillet's "Rebirthing" was echoing from the speakers inside of the car. The doors sat wide open and Jared, another member of the pack, was sitting inside with Kim, his girlfriend. Jacob grabbed an icy beer and closed the lid of the cooler.

"Hey, would you pass me one?" A sweet, song-like voice said from behind him. Jacob turned around to see Holly standing behind him. Her face was twisted into a smile.

"Sure," Jacob said, grabbing another beer from the cooler. His nerves were beginning to race throughout his body. He could feel his face flushing. As he turned around to hand Holly the beer, it slipped right out of his hand. At that moment he was thankful the glare of the bonfire would hide his embarrassment.

"Nice move, Jake!" Jared called from inside the car.

"Shut up, Jared!" Jake laughed as he bent down to retrieve the bottle that, thankfully, hadn't smashed. "Sorry." He handed it to Holly.

"It's okay," she laughed, "However, now you have to open it for me." Her confidence radiated from her wide smile.

"Fair enough," Jacob popped the cap off with ease; the beer foamed a little. He handed it back to her.

"Thanks. I'm Holly Juturna by the way." She held her hand out. Jacob felt his stomach begin to settle. Holly made him feel immediately comfortable.

"Jacob Black." He said, shaking her hand gently.

"Oh, so you're the one they were telling me about." Holly said with great enthusiasm.

"Great, Quil can't stay quiet can he?" Jacob joked, taking the first sip of his beer. He felt his nerves surfacing again. He began walking towards the end of the cliff. Holly followed.

"All good things I can assure you. He was saying that he finally got you out of the house, but I have not quite grasped the reason why he had to lure you out with a bag of Oreos." She laughed.

"It's a long story." Jacob said as he passed the bonfire. Emily and Sam were back to being consumed with themselves. He looked up only to see Leah sulking at the sight. Leah then looked up and caught Jacob's glance. He shook his head and she turned away.

"Well, enlighten me. Unless you don't want to, I don't mind. I'm just curious." Holly starred at him with a hopeful gaze.

"I've been trying to forget about it." Jacob said as he reached the edge of the cliff.

"Oh, never mind then. Forget I asked." He could tell immediately that this girl was different than anybody he had ever met before. At that moment, he felt himself fall into a memory. As he looked at the crashing water beneath him he envisioned Bella pushing herself off the cliff and into the water. He had to shake himself back to reality.

"I just had to say good-bye to someone who I really didn't want to let go of." Jacob blurted out, his voice deep and quiet. He looked beside him to see Holly starring back; her eyes were filled with wonder. She nodded her head.

"I know what that's like." She said starring out at the moonlight. A soft breeze ruffled her hair back and revealed a faint scratch across her left temple.

"I heard; I'm sorry." Jacob responded.

"I guess we are both the victim's of gossip eh?" Holly smiled again. Jacob nodded. He smiled too. Right as he was about to ask her if she had moved to La Push, Leah called out to them.

"Holly! We're leaving, now!" Leah's flustered face was covered with frustration. Emily was standing behind her.

"Uh oh," Jacob mumbled.

"Well, I guess that's indication enough that I better get going." She said, sighing heavily.

"I wouldn't doubt that." Jacob said, glancing at her as she walked towards Leah.

"I'll see you around, Jacob Black." Holly looked back over her shoulder and flashed him a smile. Suddenly he realized that his heart did exist, and it was beating faster than it ever had.


	4. Chapter 4

**_THIS IS NOT MY STORY!_** It's my bestfriend's. I'm simply posting it for her.

Enjoy! :)

* * *

After Holly left, Jacob felt refreshed

After Holly left, Jacob felt refreshed. He had never met someone so confident around a group of people she had never met before. Although he wished she was still there, her presence earlier had made him lighten up. By the end of the night, they had consumed enough beer to allow them to chase each other around the cliff like hooligans. At around 2 am, Sam finally put out the remaining sparks of the once roaring bonfire.

"I think we should call it a night, boys, we don't want a visit from the sheriff." Sam said, his parental instinct coming back into full swing. He had even lightened up after the majority of the people had left and only the pack remained. Jacob strolled out of the woods feeling no pain. The buzz he had from the beer was still prevalent. After turning down a ride from Embry he began his walk home. Taking it slow he replayed the events of the night in his mind; the hug from Emily, Seth getting drenched by a bottle of water, and as soon as he remembered seeing Holly for the first time, he stopped. His heart raced at the thought of her. Her wide smile and bodacious laugh were enough to send him into a trip without narcotics.

He had to see her again; he couldn't resist her.

As he reached his house he felt as if he was heading in the wrong direction. Instantaneously his flesh tore back and he sent himself into a mad dash back in the direction he came in his wolf form. Dashing through forests he made his way to the road that lined the western side of the lake; Highway 7. He knew the Juturna's place was closer to where the road joined the interstate highway; just before where the border of the reserve lay.

He felt his heart race as he saw the outline of the large cottage that rested on the coast of the west side of the lake. It was the only house that close to the border. A light remained in the bay window at the front of the cottage. He moved into the small gathering of trees that lined the beach and traveled closer to the cottage. As he got closer to the house he noticed a small figure sitting on the beach. Jacob quickly determined that it was the person he had came to see; Holly. He watched her for a moment. Her head tilted back as she looked at the stars; Jacob noticed the sparkle of a tear on her cheek. He felt his heart wrench; he wanted to run out and hold her for the moment until she stopped crying. She shivered as a cool breeze ruffled the trees.

"_Go inside, Hol, you look freezing." _Jacob thought; it took all his restraint to keep him from running onto the beach and curling up beside her.

At that moment, Jacob let out a howl; expecting her to jump and run into the house.

But she didn't budge; she didn't even jump. He saw her look around but she didn't move. Holly remained on the beach; only now she had a smile on her face. It was as if she knew the secret of the wolves in La Push.

"_Fine, I'll wait until you go inside then." _Jacob thought as he lay down in a bed of leaves that had fallen on the ground beneath him and continued to watch her. After about an hour she finally got up and walked slowly inside; there were no more tear streams on her face. He watched until he saw the light at the back of the house extinguish. Even if it wasn't him that had stopped her from crying; it didn't take away his satisfaction. After he knew she was safe and tucked into her bed, he ran home and into his own bed. For the first night in a long time he fell asleep almost instantly.

And it was the first night since she had left that he didn't dream about Bella.


	5. Chapter 5

Just an itty bitty reminder:

**_THIS IS NOT MY STORY!_** It's my bestfriend's. I'm simply posting it for her.  
Give me no credit!

* * *

"Phone's for you, kid." Billy informed Jacob, chucking the phone at his head. Up until this point, Jacob had been asleep. He let out a grunt and picked up the phone.

"Huhhhh?" Jacob growled into the phone.

"Hey! Man that was some party last night, huh?" Quil's over-ecstatic attitude was not Jacob's idea of a wake-up call.

"How early is it?" Jacob asked flipping over onto his back.

"Man, its like, three in the afternoon." Quil laughed. "If you are still in bed, we need to get you out more often." Jacob glanced over at the lock and, sure enough, it read 3:04.

"Embry is on his way to get you, be ready when he gets there." Quil said just before hanging up the phone. Jacob called back but no one answered. He was sure this was their ploy to get him out of the house before he could protest. Jacob ungracefully tumbled out onto the cold floor and stretched. He had grown so tall that he had to stretch his legs in the air to avoid knocking something over. After taking a quick shower, Jacob strolled back to his room and got dressed. Just as he finished brushing the massive knots out of his hair, he heard a car pull into the driveway. The deep base line avoided all barriers the walls created and made the floor beneath Jacob shake. Jacob walked outside only to see Embry, Jared and Quil hanging out the side of Embry's mom's jeep.

"What are we doing?" Jacob said as he hopped into the seat behind Jared.

"Do you forget about everything these days, Jake?" Embry questioned. Jacob tried to remember what they were doing but he couldn't even recall the date. Jacob shook his head; he was entirely lost.

"Schedules? You know what I mean?" Quil joked. "Do you even remember what school is?"

"I guess I didn't realize how fast the summer has gone." Jacob pondered the thought for a moment. He had spent the whole two months kept up inside his house, not even coming close to venturing out past his garage. Jacob's friends continued to banter back and forth in regards to random occurrences that he knew nothing about. He was content as he casually paid attention at certain moments; that is until he heard her name.

"So, that girl Holly, she seems pretty awesome." Quil exclaimed as he leaned into the front seat and began fooling around with the radio. Jacob devoted all his attention to this topic.

"Yeah, she is." Jacob added. The three looked at him in sync, even Embry who took his attention off the road.

"I saw you guys talking! Man! What'd she say?" Jared flipped backwards in his seat so he was facing Jacob.

"Nothing really, we just talked." Jacob felt his cheeks flushing; he turned towards the open side of the jeep.

"Does anyone know if she's coming to our school?" Embry asked; his attention now trained on the road. Everyone looked at each other in search of an answer. Jacob wished he had asked her when they were standing on the cliff together, but he knew that he would see her again; he would have to see her again.

As they reached the high school he felt his heart sink. Jacob was not a fan of school, nor did he thrive in the environment. He was more than ecstatic that it was his only year left. After parking they walked in sync around the corner to the front doors. Jacob had never noticed how everyone moved out of their way as they came near; probably due to their size. He felt intimidating; it gave him a good rush, and it seemed like the rest of his friends felt the same thing. Jared was grinning broadly at Quil, who was laughing hysterically. As they approached the office Jacob felt his heart race hoping that he would see Holly inside. Embry opened the door and they felt a cold breeze come from inside the office; it was the only room in the school with air conditioning. Jacob looked around expectantly but was disappointed when she was no where to be found.

They all received their schedules once Quil stopped pretending to be the new foreign exchange student from India; he had no one fooled, however he had everyone laughing like lunatics. Once they collected themselves they walked back to Embry's jeep.

"So you guys coming tonight?" A voice interrupted them from behind. They all turned around in sync only to see Carter, a guy that played on the rugby team along with Embry.

"Oh right! You guys want to go to a party tonight at Carter's house? He's having this end of the year bash; his parents are gone for a week so we've got the whole house to ourselves." Embry informed them excitedly. By the look on Quil's face it was obvious that he was intrigued. They all happily obliged with the exception of Jacob.

"Come on, man," Carter shouted as he was walking toward them, "it's going to be great. Everyone is going to be there."

"Everyone?" Jacob asked himself. Maybe he would get the chance to see Holly, someone who he hadn't been able to stop thinking about.

"Jake?" Jared asked, breaking his trance.

"Sure. I'll be there." Jacob decided. The boys all hopped in Embry's jeep and zoomed out of the parking lot and down the adjacent road.

"Do you guys just want to come over now and we can all go to the party together?" Embry inquired.

"No, do you just want to drop me off at Kim's? I told her I would go with her." Jared rolled his eyes but they all knew he was only being comical. Everyone knew that Jared adored Kim; he had imprinted on her just over a year ago. Kim had sat next to him for years in school and he never gave her one passing glance until all of sudden one day he saw her. He melted after that day and of course she was more than elated. She was pretty cool to hang around too; Jacob liked her from the start.

"Sure." Embry answered. Kim only lived down the road from him. After dropping Jared off at Kim's house the rest of them continued their venture to Embry's place. As they pulled into the gravel driveway the massive wood cottage became visible. Through the large, two-story window in the front of the house you could see Embry's mom juggling his two twin brothers in her arms.

"So what did you get, any terrible teachers? You didn't get Mr. Evigan did you?" Embry's mom, Jade, inquired as she placed the twins into the massive playpen that Embry and Jake had built the previous summer. They immediately began chucking blocks at each other and giggling profusely. Mr. Evigan had been teaching at that school since before Embry's mom had attended. He taught science and it was common knowledge that Jade made his life a living hell. Nowadays, he took out his frustration on Embry, who failed grade ten sciences twice before passing in summer school with the highest mark in the class. Embry was intelligent and thrived in school which made his failures absurd. He would often tutor Jacob in almost everything. It was how Jacob had gotten through high school without failing anything. The only subjects Jacob liked were the technological courses but he could only take so many of those in one semester. They were the only courses that Embry didn't have to tutor him in.

"Nope, all good teachers this year and I have a good line-up." Embry said as he fastened his schedule to the fridge with a magnet in front of a handful of finger paintings that were plastered all over.

"Well you really painted a picture for me there, Embry, why don't you tell me what you have?" Jade asked as she turned down the volume on the stereo that was playing in the background.

"First semester I have AP English, AP Native American history, AP calculus, drafting and technological design, and level-3 spanish and second semester I have Fitness, AP geometry, construction technology and international business and law." As Embry informed Jade of his schedule he grabbed two super-sized bags of chips from the cupboard and a large tub of dip. He then got three one liter bottles of Mountain Dew from under the sink.

"Seems reasonable enough, what about you boys?" Jade asked as she forcefully removed a block from one of the twins' hand just as he was about to whip it at the other one's head.

"Well we all have AP English together." Quil explained.

"Even you, Jake?" Jade looked impressed. Jacob had drowned in English for the past three years until Embry began tutoring him. With the grade he received in his junior year his guidance councilor suggested he take the AP-level for senior year.

"Yep, all because of this guy over here," Jacob exclaimed. Without Embry, Jacob would have probably failed wretchedly.

"That's amazing! I'm definitely proud of you!" Jade's smile beamed widely across her face. She was a beautiful woman; Jacob was always reminded of Emily when he looked at her, minus the scars. "Oh, how I love my boys." She wrapped her arms as far as she could around Jacob and Quil's waists and squeezed them into a tight hug. After Jacob's mom died, Jade stepped in immediately and took over. Billy had done a pretty good job raising Jacob but whenever he needed that motherly-figure, Jade was there. She was the only mother he ever remembered. Jade gave Embry a hug next and he picked her right up off her feet. He defined the term mama's boy. He would drop the world for her and she definitely deserved it.

"Are you guys staying for dinner?" She asked once Embry placed her back down on her feet.

"Only if it's not too much trouble," Quil said.

'Oh, don't give me that crap. You guys can go off; I'll call you when it's ready." Jade said offended as she began grabbing raw ingredients from many different cupboards. The boys walked to Embry's room, one of the biggest rooms in the house. On the floor lay a PlayStation 3 and Rock Band with Guitar Hero 3 was set up in the corner. Embry's house was game central. After dominating Rock Band together and playing a very competitive game of Grand Theft Auto 4 Jade called the boys to dinner.

As they squeezed their way into the kitchen a three giant platters of homemade macaroni and cheese sat in the middle along with several other bowls of mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables and dinner rolls. Jacob felt his mouth water; he had underestimated how hungry he was. After saying grace the three boys ravaged the food that was in front of them. After eating several helpings of everything in sight Quil belched satisfyingly.

"Excuse me," Quil said as he relaxed back into his chair. Then, one right after the other, Embry and Jacob let out equivalent belches.

"Did it meet any standards that you boys upheld?" Jade inquired sarcastically as she began clearing the table and loading the dishes into the sink.

"Most definitely," Quil replied.

"It surpassed on many levels." Jacob agreed. Embry nodded his head.

"Guys, we should get going." Embry said. Jacob examined the clock that sat just above Quil's massive head; 6:45. He knew it would take about a half an hour to get to Carter's.

"Yeah probably," Jacob seconded.

"Thanks, Mom, it was delicious." Embry thanked his Mom as he bent down to plant a kiss on her cheek. Jacob and Quil followed suit.

"Yeah, thanks, Mom!" Jacob joked as they walked out the door.

"Be careful, guys!" They heard her shout just as the door slammed behind them.


	6. Chapter 6

**_THIS IS NOT MY STORY!_** It's my bestfriend's. I'm simply posting it for her.

Enjoy, you guys!

* * *

After hopping into the jeep the boys began signing wildly to Blink 182 which was blasting through the speakers back at them

After hopping into the jeep the boys began signing wildly to Blink 182 which was blasting through the speakers back at them. Pumped with adrenaline and excitement they planned to make their last party of the summer unforgettable. Even Jacob was getting wound up and the possibility of being able to talk to Holly again made his heart beat rowdily.

"Oh boys, this is going to be off the chain." Quil exclaimed as they pulled into Carter's already jam-packed driveway. The light of the house was radiant and the hyper vibe of the party was just oozing outside. Girls were laughing and dancing together on the grass, guys were chasing each other and shouting; Carter lived so far from anyone that they were sure there was going to be no visits from the police. As soon as the three boys walked through the front door, what was once excited crowd grew to be crazy. Carter jumped on Embry and shoved beers into their hands.

"Glad you guys made it! Everyone's been waiting for you!" Carter shouted; he was already drunk. The furniture in the den had been pushed to the walls to make more room for dancing. Couches were filled with couples making out and people passed out. Jacob walked passed Pharrell Wills who was out-cold in the Lazy Boy and laughed after realizing there were obscene pictures drawn all over his face with magic marker.

"Jake! Over here! Get out of the way, that's my boy over there!" Jacob looked up only to notice Seth Clearwater tripping over people drunk, making his way over to him.

"Man, what's up?" Jacob boomed with laughter. Seth had only ever been drunk once in his life before this, and that had been Jacob and Quil's fault. The kid could not hold alcohol well.

"I've been like, waiting for you all night, man." Seth slurred as he threw his arm around Jacob's shoulder, "My sister is looking for you."

"Leah? Where is she?" Jacob felt himself growing even more excited, Holly was friends with Leah maybe she was there.

"The deck, come on, I'll find her." Seth grooved his way through the massive crowd of people dancing and Jacob followed. Outside Seth found Leah sitting around a fire that had been started along with some of her friends and Embry. Jacob didn't see Holly anywhere and he turned disappointed.

"Jake!" Leah shouted as she noticed him walking towards the fire. She had a beer in her hand but Jacob could tell she wasn't even close to being drunk. Leah wasn't a big drinker.

"Look, I'm so sorry I had to pull Hol' away last night. You two seemed to be getting along quite well." Leah apologized as she gingerly took a sip of her beer.

"Don't worry about it, is she here tonight?" Jacob pried, hopeful, but Leah shook her head.

"I called her but she didn't answer. I think she might have gone to Port Angeles but I'm not sure."

Although Jacob was disappointed that he wasn't going to see Holly he managed to push the thought of her to the side enough to allow him to enjoy himself. About an hour after their arrival a game of rugby broke out which ended in the team consisting of the pack plus a few others coming out victorious. Jacob and Quil had never joined the high school team but they knew the game well.

"You two, definitely, are coming out for the season. I'll have to murder you both if you don't." Carter, who was the assistant captain of the team along with Embry who was the captain, ordered. Jacob had always thought about it, but organized sports weren't his thing. Their school was at the top of the only rugby division in Washington, Forks High School was a close second; they were rivals.

At around 2 AM Quil, Embry and Jacob decided that it was time to leave, school started the day after next and for once they all admitted their exhaustion. Embry left his jeep in Carter's driveway and the three boys walked until they were out of sight of anyone at the party. As soon as they knew it was safe the morphed themselves into their wolf forms and ran the rest of the way home through the forest. After splitting up in opposite directions, Jacob decided that, again, he wasn't ready to go home. He navigated his way back through the forest that lined the lake to where he was the night before. When the Juturna's cabin came into the view he felt at ease. Jacob wandered towards the back of the cabin until he saw her.

At that moment, the thing he thought he had for her wasn't just any simple crush anymore.

Her hair wavy, light brown hair was draped down her contoured back. She was facing the water but Jacob moved closer so he could catch a glimpse of her large, sparkling eyes. Tonight she wasn't in tears, but she wasn't smiling either. She was dressed in a sweater and a pair of pajama bottoms and Jacob was thankful it was a warm night; he hated seeing her shiver the night before. Just looking at her sent shivers down his spine; in that infinitesimal moment, she was everything he had ever wanted.

Imprintation was a legend that the Quileute's had believed to be just a myth but once Jacob's generation had began to make the change they had realize that it did, indeed, exist. Sam had imprinted on Emily first, breaking Leah's heart. Jared and Quil had both imprinted as well and everyone suspected Jacob of imprinting on Bella, but he hadn't. If he had imprinted on Bella, he wouldn't have taken two looks at Holly. To imprint meant to devote everything they had to a person; it was a more intense infatuation and it didn't just mean to love someone. They would do anything they could for that person. Jacob knew everything had changed right then. He didn't know what to do. What would she think of him? Would she embrace his devotion with open arms? Jacob had no clue. All he knew was that someone with the name Bella would never exist in his world again.

He continued to watch her intensely from the bushes. She would occasionally run her fingers through her hair but the majority of the time she sat silent and motionless. Jacob felt the urge to go closer and felt his paws move him closer to the edge of the forest. At that moment he stepped on a branch and snapped it, breaking the silence and startling Holly. Jacob whimpered and stepped back only creating more of a rustle. Holly looked straight at the forest and Jacob hoped she hadn't spotted him. She then picked herself up off the ground and began inching towards the forest that hid Jacob. As she got closer, Jacob felt his breath grow heavy and heart beat faster and faster. Before he knew it Holly was at the very edge of the forest. Jacob went stiff; he didn't want to frighten her. Envisioning her running to the cabin screaming haunted his thoughts. He knew he blended well with his surroundings but it was hard for Jacob to hide himself when he was a six foot tall werewolf. He felt her eyes wander around him until they were focused right at his. Holly's eyes grew wide and mouth gaped open when she realized what she was looking at. Jacob anticipated the scream of terror but it never came. Much to his surprise, she didn't even back away. She stood motionless as she examined the dark figure hiding in the forest. For a minute she couldn't comprehend what she was looking at. Her hand moved to her mouth in shock; she had never seen an animal so big and gentle-looking so close in her entire life. The silence broke when a voice came from the cabin.

"Holly, what are you doing? It's late." Gordon Juturna called out. Jacob hadn't seen him in years. He looked the same, minus the full head of white hair and tired complexion. Holly backed away, eyes still trained on Jacob. She smiled as she turned away and walked into the cabin. Jacob melted; it had been the greatest night of his life.


	7. Chapter 7

**_THIS IS NOT MY STORY!_** It's my bestfriend's. I'm simply posting it for her.

Enjoy, you guys!

* * *

The next morning came quicker than Jacob had anticipated which excited him. He had never once been excited for the first day of school but this time it was different; hopefully, he would get to see Holly again. Jacob rushed through his shower and got dressed at top speed. After wolfing down three bowls of Cheerios he ran out the door only to realize that Embry wasn't there yet. Jacob waited impatiently; pacing back and forth in front of his garage. Billy watched from the window shocked to see his son eager to go to school. Finally, at 7:50, Embry rolled up in the jeep with Quil nodding off next to him.

"Glad to see you're up and at em' Jake, unlike this tool over here." Embry said amused at the fact that Jacob was ready and waiting for him. Quil, on the other hand, had a drip of saliva forming at the corner of his mouth and snoring obscenely loud.

"Man, what took you so long?" Jacob questioned as he climbed into the jeep, purposely ungraceful in order to kick Quil in the head, jolting him awake.

"Fuck, man." Quil growled as he fidgeted until he got comfortable again. Within a minute he was back to his snoring state.

"I'm just on time actually. However, this one almost made me late. Why are you so eager to get to school anyway?" Embry asked as he pulled out of the driveway.

"No reason." Jacob answered, trying to find a logical explanation that Embry would believe without having to admit the truth. Embry squinted at Jacob in the rear-view mirror; it was only so long until one of them was going to figure it out and Jacob knew Embry would be the only one he couldn't fool.

"You want to see Holly, don't you?" Embry pried as he continued driving.

"What?" Jacob tried to dodge the question, but was unsuccessful. Embry smiled a toothy grin.

"You were there last night." Embry realized.

"I was where?" Jacob said, again, trying to dodge the question.

"At the Juturna's, I heard you. Jake! Man," Embry implied, after a second his face twisted into a confused smirk, "You haven't… imprinted on her? Have you?" an excited and shocked expression beamed from Embry's face. Jacob looked away, pretending like he didn't hear Embry.

"We need to work on your ability to ignore people." Embry joked as he pulled into the school parking lot. He swiftly punched Quil in the arm and jumped out of the jeep. Quil groggily climbed out the passenger door and Jacob followed. After catching up to Embry, Jacob grabbed a hold of his arm.

"Don't tell anyone, kay?" Jacob begged in a whisper. Embry crossed his heart and made a motion with his hand to show his lips as locked. Jacob smiled in gratification and they continued their walk into school. As soon as they walked through the front doors Quil was back to his animated self. Seeing everyone gave him that jolt of energy he needed. The boys parted ways and Jacob searched for his locker assignment. After making his way to the second floor he found his locker within two seconds. He was thankful it was one of the newer ones. After throwing a few of his belongings in, he slammed it shut and locked it. Jacob didn't need anything for first period; he had automotive technology. As soon as he turned to walk back downstairs he saw her.

Holly stood five meters away from him across the hall; fiddling with her locker door, trying to get it closed. She had been blessed with one of the old lockers that would prove difficult all year. Jacob chuckled as she laid a force-filled kick to the door expecting it to close, but it didn't. Her thin eyebrows crumpled atop her forehead and she sighed deeply.

"Need help?" Jacob asked from behind her. Holly whipped around only to see the boy she had met two nights back; the boy who she couldn't stop thinking about.

"Definitely," she joked as she took a step back. Jacob then proceeded to kick the door even harder, jamming it into place. "Perfect! Thanks." Holly exclaimed.

"Anytime," Jacob said beaming with satisfaction. "So how do you like La Push so far?" She smiled as she locked her now-closed locker.

"It's definitely different than where I lived before." Holly said as she turned back to Jacob. "I like being out of the city."

"Really? I've lived here my whole life; I don't know anything different." Jacob said. He felt his palms begin to perspire.

"So what's your schedule like, Jacob Black?" She accentuated her voice when she said his name making him smile.

"Well, I have Auto, Gym, AP English, Drafting, and Construction, yourself?" Jacob asked pleading to whatever God existed that he had at least one class with her.

"Well," she said mocking him," I have Orchestral Music, Gym, AP English, Photography, and AP Studio Art. We have two classes together." He grinned at her response; two classes were more than he had hoped for. Then, much to their dismay, the bell sounded.

"I guess I'll see you in gym Jake, that is, if I can find it." Holly said sarcastically.

"Yeah, see you." Jacob said as he watched Holly amble down the hallway to the music room. He figured that she had been there early to figure out where it was because she walked, with confidence, to the right door.

Automotive Technology was taught by the most superlative teacher in the school; Mrs. Bowers. She had been teaching for thirty years and had permanently grease-stained hands. She also had a very dry sense of humor which Jacob loved. She was someone who he could confide in whenever he needed help; and she always gave him a good mark.

"Numero uno studento over here," Mrs. Bowers joked sarcastically as Jacob strolled into class late. "Glad to see you Mr. Black." Jacob gestured acknowledgement and found himself in his usual seat. He always despised the first week of class because the teachers would have to re-teach the same safety measures and basic routines year by year. He could probably recite the lessons word for word. The clock ticked slowly, as if there was molasses in the gears. As soon as the bell sounded, Jacob sprinted from his seat and out the door. After arriving first in the change room he put his track pants on as fast as he could.

"Mr. Eager Beaver over here today. What's with the gears set on 100km an hour bud?" Quil snickered as he saw Jacob fully dressed and ready to go while the second bell hadn't even rung.

"We got out of auto early." Jacob lied.

"I see." Quil went on to whine about his first period teacher and how she was a bitch, but how, at the same time, she had nice curves. Jacob partially ignored the banter of guys waltzing into the change room. After Quil got dress they walked out into the gyms. Leah and Holly were lacing up their sneakers laughing at something on the opposite side of the gym. As Jacob approached the girls he noticed a brace strapped around Holly's foot and ankle.

"Seems you found the gym all right?" Jacob chuckled.

"No I found Leah, she found the gym." Holly replied. Leah was oblivious to their conversation.

"I hate the first week of gym. Fitness training makes me want to commit suicide." Leah stated in her own little world.

"I don't mind fitness actually." Holly added. "I love running." Leah glared at Holly with a confused expression plastered across her naturally tanned face.

"What's with the brace?" Jacob asked gesturing towards her left foot.

"Rugby is a brutal sport." Holly giggled. "I've had my fair share of being annihilated by girls – and beats – twice my size."

"You play Rugby?" Quil asked intrigued.

"I did. Until I moved here; I didn't think anyone played it in the states." She sighed as she stood up off the floor.

"Are you kidding? Our school is the best in our division." Leah exclaimed. "I'm captain of the girls' team; Embry's captain of the guys'."

"Seriously!" Holly jumped with enthusiasm. "I play blind-side wing most of the time, but I've played flank as well."

"You should definitely play. We all do." Jacob added smiling. She was athletic and he liked it.

"So you two finally decided to join, huh?" Leah joked mockingly. Quil and Jacob nodded their heads in unison.

Once hearing the whistle sound everyone moved towards Mr. Higgins; the gym teacher. Of course, Leah was right, they were doing fitness training; the beep test, flexibility exercises, weight training, and rope climbing among other rigorous activities. Leah had been the best girl in the gym class at everything although she hated participating. However, the guys were a little more competitive. Quil and Jacob were constantly at each others throats trying to get one step ahead of the other. The beep test was the activity of the day. Lining up in a straight line along the edge of the gym allowed their adrenaline to rush; they knew they would outrun everyone. They super-human abilities came in handy for more than just protecting the reserve from sadistic vampires. People began quitting at level four and they quickly dropped like flies. Jacob wasn't even paying attention until level nine came along when he realized that the only people left were Quil, Carter, Leah, and himself. It wasn't until level eleven that he realized that Holly was still running too; she didn't look like she was about to quit either. Carter gave in at level twelve sounding like he was going to collapse. Level sixteen hit and the four were still going; only now they had to face the challenge of sprinting. Leah was the next to go; Jacob knew she could have kept going but she was tired of people gawking at her. However, he was shocked to see Holly, now struggling a bit, was still making it to each end of the gym fast. Next, level seventeen hit. Quil was tired of trying to outlast Jacob and walked to the side of the court. Not paying attention, Jacob sprinted after the last beep of the seventeenth level and hit the line just as the CD player beeped again. Holly was a step away from making it.

"Damn." She gasped. "You're good." Holly leant over to catch her breath; she had never faced such tough opponents in her life. She had only ever had to get to level twelve to beat everyone but this time was different. She was impressed at Jacob's and Quil's talent. What stunned her even more was the fact that neither of them had broken a sweat.

"That was impressive new girl." Quil congratulated Holly.

"Thanks." She gasped.

"Are you alright?" Jacob asked. She nodded her head as she finally brought herself to stand up straight again. Jacob responded quickly towards Holly's enthusiasm. He was also attracted to her obvious competitiveness.

After class he showered and changed back to normal as quick as he could. All the guys in the change room were discussing the new girl and her ability to almost outrun Quil and Jacob. Jacob ignored the rest of the comments they made; particularly about her body. He was getting a little jealous. Right as he was exiting the change room he noticed that Holly was only five steps ahead of him. Jacob sped up beside her.

"So you've caused quite an uprising on your first day. Everyone seemed to enjoy the fact that a girl almost beat us." Jacob joked.

"Well, that's how I do." She laughed. When she smiled tiny dimples formed on either sides of her cheeks showing a gleaming set of flawless teeth. Jacob loved when Holly laughed; her head would fall back a bit and she'd close her eyes, she was also very loud. She wasn't scared of drawing attention to herself; Jacob could see that.

"What are you doing for lunch?" He asked; he was shocked at his confidence.

"Well besides eating, I guess nothing." Holly answered. Together they walked to the already-packed cafeteria. Jacob searched for Embry and Quil and, sure enough, they sat at the regular table. They had claimed it in freshman year and it had been theirs ever since. Of course the amount of people that joined them grew year by year. It was in the back corner of the raised landing that sat at the left side of the cafeteria.

"Wow, is it always this crowded?" Holly asked with a surprised expression.

"Basically yeah." Jacob laughed as he began weaving his way through the hordes of people. Eventually they made it to the back table where everybody was already sitting. Holly took a seat beside Leah and Jacob sat down across from her. Embry then pulled out three lunches and threw them at Quil and Jacob.

"Compliments of my mother," Embry explained in between bites of his monstrous, yellow apple.

"Have I ever told you how much I love her?" Quil said as he opened the bag to reveal three chicken sandwiches, two apples, a carton a chocolate and five cookies. Jacob had the same.

"You're seriously going to eat all of that?" Holly asked as she pulled out her own lunch.

"You'll learn pretty quickly that they eat like pigs." Leah clarified staring savagely at Jacob's sandwich. Little did everyone know she ate just as much; only she wasn't as public about it as the boys were.

"That's impressive." Holly assumed as she opened a container full of celery followed by a smaller container of peanut butter.

"Don't tell me you are going to dip celery in peanut butter. That's repulsive." Embry joked.

"Have you ever tried it?" She accused.

"I wouldn't." He said sheepishly.

"I will." Jacob said; Jacob would eat anything that was put in front of him that looked appetizing. Holly picked large piece of celery out of the dish and slathered it in creamy peanut butter. She passed it across the table to Jacob. With a loud crunch Jacob bit into the stalk. Everyone waited for his response.

"Surprisingly," Jacob began as he licked the peanut butter off his fingers, "It's really good." Holly smiled. Leah tried a next and agreed whole-heartedly with Jacob. Everyone laughed as Leah continued to steal pieces of celery from Holly's dish, she seemed to not mind. The group spent lunch laughing boisterously and causing ruckus in the cafeteria. They were easily the loudest table. Their fun was interrupted when the bell rang for third period.

"Damn, I hate the end of lunch." Quil whined as he threw his lunch bag into the garbage from ten feet away. Jacob nodded in agreement.

"So, Jacob Black, are you going to walk with me to English?" Holly asked from behind him. He turned around and grinned.

"Now, we don't want you to get lost, do we?" He answered confidently. Embry and Quil looked impressed. Jacob was never one to have a ton of confidence around girls with the exception of Leah and… they weren't going to think of her name. Together they walked leisurely to third period while everyone was rushing around them.

"What's this teacher like?" Holly asked Jacob as she was glancing over her green schedule.

"Ms. Tree? She's cool. Quil had her last year. She used to always let me sit in class with him if I didn't want to go to my own. She's young and not completely unfortunate looking either." Jacob joked.

"Oh, so, that's why you like her so much." Holly laughed. Her smile sent chills down his spine – again. They walked into the classroom side by side and Ms. Tree acknowledged both of them with a friendly nod. Jacob sat in front of were Embry and Quil were sitting. Their large figures squished side by side was a funny sight. Quil had his legs outstretched into the middle of the aisle and Embry was sitting back in his chair. Holly sat beside him and plopped her bag on the desk. Jacob couldn't help glancing inside; there were countless notebooks and what looked like paint brushes. There was also a camera case and a bright red iPod. She pulled out a notebook followed by the iPod. On the cover was a photograph of a girl sitting by a beach. Jacob found familiarity in the Polaroid. It looked exactly like Holly only with what seemed to be darker hair; it was hard to tell with the lack of color. Jacob guessed it was her mother. Lining the outside of the photo, in silver marker, what seemed to be lyrics were written.

"So, Holly, like this school yet? Or do you find it really lame being out in the country." Quil asked from behind them. She turned around and looked at him.

"I actually like it. It's a lot cleaner." She joked, "Well, being serious I do miss the city. I lived in Vancouver my entire life so it's a big change. At first I was miserable; I didn't know what to do with myself." She laughed again.

"Why'd you move out here?" Embry asked doodling in his notebook.

"My Mom wanted too I guess." She answered looking away this time. It was obvious she didn't want to say anything more about why she was there. Ms. Tree began the lesson seconds later. She just talked about what they'd be reading and what her expectations were. Jacob allowed his mind to wander through the whole lesson. Occasionally glancing at holly he noticed she was casually scribbling something in the notebook she pulled out earlier. She was also listening to her iPod having only one earphone in her ear. When she picked it up to change the song, Jacob stretched insignificantly to see what she was listening to. Breakdown by Chris Daughtry, Smooth by Carlos Santana, Speak Easy by Chasing Victory, Crisis by Alexisonfire; Jacob had only heard one of the songs. She stopped at a song called Walking at Night Alone by Armor for Sleep.

After class Holly followed Jacob out of the classroom.

"Sorry to bother you again but," she began to ask, pulling out her schedule.

"You need help finding your next class?" Jacob cut her off.

"Do you mind?" She asked cutely. Her tilted and longing eyes disallowed Jacob to say no; not that he would ever want to.

"It'll be my pleasure. The art and tech design rooms are in the same hallway. Together they weaved through hoards of people and up a floor to the art wing. The walls were decorated with murals and posters and wasn't as busy as the rest of the school.

"That's your room right there." Jacob pointed into a large studio with big bay windows and two dozen easels set up in a circle. The art teacher, Mrs. Pongingi, was bustling about; her wildly curly hair flying around with every movement she made.

"I don't know what I'd do without you. Thanks a lot." Holly thanked Jacob as she began backing towards the door.

"Anytime Hol," If his heart was to go off beat one more time that day Jacob suspected he was going to send himself into cardiac arrest. His next two classes felt like a full twenty-four hours themselves. He didn't like not being able to glance over and see Holly and regard what she was doing. Her subtle actions interested him; from the way she constantly flipped songs on her iPod to the way she would scribble something madly as if a light had finally shone upon the paper. He thought about Holly's eyes and the way they were constantly filled with wonder. It was impossible for him not to be attracted by her presence. She sent him through a spin cycle whenever she talked.

At the end of the day Jacob hurried out of the classroom only to see her waiting for him.

"My locker is stuck." She said giggling.

"Figures," Jacob said running his fingers through his hair. "You can put your stuff in mine if you want, I don't use it much."

"If you wouldn't mind," Holly said. Once Jacob pried the door of Holly's locker open she relocated her few books into his locker. He wrote the combination down on her hand and she practiced opening it once.

"Perfect." She exclaimed as it opened with ease.

"You can use it as long as you want, or as long as it takes to get a new locker assignment." Jacob informed her as they re-locked the locker and trudged tiredly down to the parking lot.

"I like where it is though. It's nice to have someone to talk to every morning." She said slyly; she was hoping he would allow her to just stay there. Holly figured it would be the best way to get to know this boy more.

"Well we can share for the year then. It's no big deal." Jacob liked the idea of sharing a locker with Holly; just being able to see her faithfully every morning put him at ease.

"Alright!" She said ecstatically. When they reached the parking lot she removed a set of keys from her shoulder bag.

"You need a ride?" Holly asked Jacob. "Or do you drive?"

"If you want, I mean, I don't want you to go out of your way. Besides I usually get a ride from Embry." Jacob said not wanting to come off as too eager.

"I don't exactly feel like going home yet so if you want it's not a problem." Holly insisted. Her smile made it impossible for Jacob to turn away. He followed her into the middle of the parking lot to where her car was situated. Jacob was in shock; he had never seen anyone drive something like she drove in La Push. It was a cherry red Pontiac G5 with gleaming chrome rims and an intense body kit.

"Seriously? This is what you drive?" Jacob admired the car as she popped the trunk. Inside there lay two giant sub-woofers and an amplifier. He was dumfounded.

"I'm serious. I had friends back where I lived that adored cars and they fixed mine up cheap. Besides, they didn't like me being seen in some piece of shit." She joked, "I really don't have a preference when it comes to cars." They both took a seat in the car and Jacob noticed the response that was being generated by the car. As kids poured into their parents' minivans and rusted hatchbacks they regarded the car with a dazed, but impressed, expression. Holly started the engine and the car shook. Jacob looked at her in admiration.

"Like I said, they adored cars." It wasn't even five seconds until she tore out of the parking lot leaving everyone in the dust.


	8. Chapter 8

**_THIS IS NOT MY STORY!_** It's my bestfriend's. I'm simply posting it for her.

* * *

Holly followed the road at a moderately quick speed; Jacob was still in amazement of the car he was sitting in. They remained in a comfortable silence as they drove through the forest-lined roads of La Push.

"Where do you live?" Holly asked breaking the silence.

"Close to the border of La Push and Forks, I'll tell you where to go when we get closer." Jacob answered. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Well you kind of just did." Holly joked; Jacob gave her a sarcastic glare. "Anything you want."

"Why didn't you want to go home right after school?" He asked; it had bothered him since she had mentioned it when they exited the school. Holly didn't answer right away; her eyes shifted towards the driver's side window as she continued to drive. Jacob realized it was an answer she wasn't willing to share. "Don't worry about it, actually. It's none of my business."

"No, no, it's not that Jake. I just don't know," She began to say, "I guess I'm not sure of an answer." Holly looked at him and smiled.

"You're a very complex girl, Holly Juturna." Jacob admitted. He couldn't quite figure her out.

"You aren't the first one to say that." She joked as she flipped on the windshield wipers; it had begun to rain like it did every other way. "Now this is one thing that makes me love this place more."

"Rain?" Jacob asked a little confused.

"Mhm, I love the rain, especially when I'm not in the middle of nowhere." She replied.

"Why?" Jacob laughed.

"It drowns out your thoughts so you can just drive. It takes your mind off everything; like it's a person sitting next to you." Holly looked over at Jacob and smiled making his heart spontaneously combust. He wanted to tell her right there that she was who he wanted to be with and it took all his strength to refrain from spilling his thoughts.

"Turn here." Jacob instructed as they came to a fork in the road. "Left."

"Okay. How much further is it?" Holly asked as she continued down the road towards Jacob's house.

"About five minutes." Jacob answered disappointedly; Holly looked just as disappointed.

They approached Jacob's driveway quicker than he had anticipated.

"It's right in there." Jacob instructed.

"Kay." Holly acknowledged. She pulled into a driveway into a clearing of trees where Jacob's house sat. The faded white siding and the porch that desperately needed repair almost embarrassed Jacob.

"Where are you off to now?" Jacob asked Holly.

"I don't know yet." She laughed as she turned down the volume of the stereo.

"Well if you don't want to go home just yet do you want to come in for a bit? I mean, we could go for a walk or something after it stops raining." Jacob asked nervously.

"Sure, I'd like that." Holly said taking her keys out of the ignition eagerly. She smiled at Jacob and got out of the car. Together they jogged to the front door to avoid getting drenched by the pouring rain. Jacob tried to open the door until realizing it was locked. Confused, he knocked three times. Jacob heard Billy's wheelchair roll forward and within seconds the door was unlocked and Jacob opened it.

"Why was the door locked?" Jacob asked closing the door again after Holly came in. Her curious eyes floated around the open room. The right side of the main room consisted of a living room with two couches and Billy's lazy-boy; the old television sat in the corner. The other side was taken up by the out-dated kitchen. Photographs and native Quileute paintings littered the walls. A table sat in the middle of the kitchen with some flowers that Jacob had wondered why they were there. Holly fell in love with the atmosphere almost immediately; she loved the warmth and how she felt at home upon walking in.

"Your sister was here today. You know what she's like with making us lock the door. She wouldn't get off the porch until I'd lock it." Billy explained in a raspy voice; he had probably just woken up from his afternoon nap. "She brought the flowers too."

"Figures." Jacob said as he dropped his school bag on the floor by the door.

"Who's your friend?" Billy asked as he wheeled himself to the kitchen.

"Oh, right, this is—" Jacob began.

"I'm Holly." Holly interrupted smiling at Jacob. Billy turned around to take a good look at her. A familiar face echoed through Billy's mind.

"What's your last name?" Billy said smiling.

"Juturna." She answered.

"You look identical to your mother, minus the hair of course." Billy said, still smiling. Holly ran her fingers through her abnormally light brunette-coloured hair.

"How do you know my mother?" Holly asked, confidently taking a seat at the kitchen table.

"She was a dear friend to my wife, Jacob's mom, years ago before she died." Billy answered as he began taking ingredients out of the fridge to begin preparing dinner. Holly gave Jacob a shocked expression; she had had no idea that his mother had passed away,

"I didn't know that." Holly said, focusing her attention back to Billy. Jacob sat down beside Holly at the table silently. He was never one to talk about the woman he longed to remember. He had been very young when his mother passed away. However he remembered her essence, her smell, and the only way he could remember her face was through a picture. Soon after his eldest sister moved away to Seattle, and then two years later his other sister did the same thing. Life had never been the same without her but Jacob and Billy were content within themselves; they were very much alike and got along the majority of the time, unlike his sisters.

"I heard not that long ago that you guys moved back here, I've been meaning to get a hold of your mother, is everything alright now?" Billy inquired, seeming to know more than Jacob did making him suspicious.

"I guess. I mean things are still coming together." Holly answered as she fiddled with the sleeve of her sweater.

"I'm glad; make sure to tell your mother I've been thinking of her." Billy reassured. Holly nodded her head and smiled.

"Do you want to go for a walk now," Holly asked Jacob, "It looks like the rain as stopped."

"Sure." Jacob said.

"Do you want to stay for dinner, Holly?" Billy asked, "We're having salmon if you're interested."

"If it's not too much trouble, I'd love too." Holly answered graciously.

"Perfect, it'll be about an hour." Billy informed them as they were walking out the back door. Together they walked out past the garage and onto the beach. Jacob remained silent; he didn't know what to say. He wondered if she would ever tell him what had happened.

"Are you okay? Jake?" Holly asked after a good five minutes of silence from Jacob's end.

"Yeah, why?" He asked, staring into her eyes twinkling from the glare of the sunset.

"You're just quiet that's all." She said looking a little worried. Holly walked towards a large piece of driftwood and sat down. Jacob hesitated for a minute; it was the same piece that he and Bella had sat on for the past two years talking, laughing and falling in love. Jacob flinched.

"Are you going to sit?" Holly asked motioning for Jacob to join her. He took a seat beside her and suddenly felt different, his heart was at ease. Until that day he had debated lighting the piece of driftwood on fire so he didn't have to look at it.

"I have a question," Holly began to say, "And it might be none of my business but I was curious. I've been talking to Leah a lot—"

"Oh God," Jacob interrupted irritated. "What has she been saying?" He knew very well that it wasn't going to be long until Leah Clearwater opened her big mouth.

"It's not bad, don't worry." Holly got defensive and Jacob suddenly felt bad. "She mentioned something about a girl, and when I asked her about it she told me to ask you if I was really curious. You don't have to tell me, I was just wondering who she is." Jacob flinched again; he felt his blood began to boil and it took all his strength to not change into his wolf form.

"Bella," was all he could get out at first. After taking a deep breath he was continued, "What did you want to know about her?" Holly looked a little nervous.

"I was just wondering if she was, you know, your girlfriend?" The way she asked made Jacob smile. Her innocence and cute voice made him melt; he felt at ease once more and let out a small chuckle.

"No, she's not my girlfriend." He answered. "I guess she was like my first love, kind of." Holly continued to watch him. The way he trembled when he talked about this girl made her hope drop.

"What happened between you guys?" Holly asked curiously.

"She picked this other guy. I don't know where she is now; I haven't seen her in a long time." He answered looking out at the water and the fading sunset. After a moment Holly asked something that Jacob did not expect.

"Do you still love her?" Jacob paused for a moment until the answer came to him easier than it had ever had.

"No. I really don't." He looked back at Holly who was smiling faintly and looking straight at him. _"You make it impossible to love anyone else." _Jacob thought to himself.

"So, Holly Juturna, tell me about yourself," Jacob said, lightening the mood making her laugh.

"How much do you want to know?" She asked adoringly.

"Everything."


	9. Chapter 9

**_THIS IS NOT MY STORY!_** It's my bestfriend's. I'm simply posting it for her.

* * *

"Where should I begin?" Holly laughed. Jacob watched her face; her single dimple form when she smiled, the way she tilted her head back when she laughed and her sparkling eyes. "I was born on April 16th, 1990 in Vancouver. I've played piano my whole life, I like anything that involves being creative, I paint my room a lot, I love dancing and playing rugby, of course, I have a German Shepard named Ty, I bawled like a baby when I got my tattoo, I hate most girls, and I'm a great cook."

"You have a tattoo?" Jacob asked surprised.

"Mhm," she answered and stood up. Under her shirt at the edge of her pants there was a small Chinese character on her left hip bone. "It means to be strong. Ironic considering I cried the whole time."

"It hurt?" Jacob joked.

"Not really, I just hate needles and the sound freaked me out." She laughed taking her spot back on the driftwood. "What about you Jacob Black, tell me everything about you."

"Well, my birthday is June 3rd, 1990. I've lived here my whole life, I build cars and motorcycles from scratch for fun, Embry talked Quil and I into playing on the rugby team this year, I have two sisters who I don't really get along with, I sleep a lot, I like to run, I think I can fix everything and then when I break something more I get frustrated, I don't really like school, and I can't cook at all, I even screw up cereal." It wasn't everything he wanted her to know but he felt that telling her that the legends of the wolf protectors of the reservation were true was a little iffy. Holly and Jacob talked until the sun went down and they heard Billy call them for dinner. Throughout the meal Holly joined in the conversation as if she had known them forever and Jacob felt more drawn to her than ever. Her confidence and thriving personality made him go head over heels. After dinner Holly began clearing the table.

"Miss, what do you think you are doing?" Billy questioned.

"You made me dinner, the least I could do is clean-up." She reached around and took his plate.

"I'll help." Jacob said piling all the dishes onto his one arm.

"Well now, Jacob actually cleaning again, twice in one week, now that's a world record right there." Billy joked as he sat back in his wheelchair. "I guess I'll go watch the game then." He wheeled himself into the living room and climbed into his lazy boy.

Together Holly and Jacob scrubbed and rinsed the dishes; occasionally spraying each other with water or splashing around in the soapy sink. After everything was clean Jacob walked Holly out to her car.

"I had fun today; probably the most fun I've had in a while." Holly announced as she unlocked the door.

"Me too actually," Jacob agreed.

"I'll see you tomorrow, bright and early?" She asked. He nodded his head in agreement. As she got into her car she flashed him one last smile and he watched as she pulled out of the driveway and down the road into the darkness. The next two hours Jacob sat anxiously waiting for Billy to go to bed. The moment he heard Billy wheel himself into his bedroom he hopped out his bedroom window and flew off into the forest on all fours. It had become his nightly ritual; he could sit watching Holly for hours on end. As he reached her cabin he moved closer to the clearing that lead to the beach and watched.

There she was, as per usual, sitting close enough that when the tide came in it touched her toes. Beside her there was a notebook with her iPod sitting on top. Jacob sat watching her endlessly; she barely moved. After a while he saw her turn her head and peer into the trees where Jacob had sat for the past few days. Jacob felt her eyes on him but he didn't move. She slowly rose from the ground and tiptoed over to the trees. After looking for a moment she pushed away a few stray branches that lay between her and Jacob; their eyes met.

Jacob felt his heart begin to race as Holly's curious and wandering eyes floated across his fur-covered body. She sat this way for a good five minutes watching, waiting, for him to do something. Holly did not fear this wolf sitting in front of her; however, she was mystified by the fact that it hadn't tried to attack her yet. Jacob let out a soft rumble and rested his head on his paws while continuing to watch her every move.

"_Just wait Jake, she'll run off shrieking in terror in no time, it's too good to be true." _Jacob reminded himself. He didn't know what to think at this point. Much to his dismay, Holly got up from her spot in front of the bushes and began inching backwards, only she didn't run. She slowly motioned for Jacob to follow her into the light. She wanted a better look. Jacob, knowing that by following her would be a risk due to the fact that her grandfather could see him, ran back towards the thick of the forest not even looking back to see if she was still watching. His heartbeat turned painful the farther he got from her. Jacob had wanted nothing more than to follow her, maybe she would even come so close as to touch him. By the time he reached his own home, Jacob regretted his decision to turn away. He didn't get a wink of sleep that night; the memory of her soft face kept him awake.


	10. Chapter 10

Jacob could see the thick, orange sun rising through his bedroom window and he knew very well that he was getting no sleep. Out of frustration, he showered early and made breakfast for both him and Billy. When Billy wheeled out of bedroom he was welcome with the smell of bacon and eggs – the one thing that Jacob could make without burning.

"You're beginning to scare me kid." Billy said as he wheeled himself to his spot at the table. Jacob placed a large plate filled with two eggs, half a dozen pieces of bacon and toast covered with jam in front of him. He then placed a plate of sliced tomatoes and a jar of Miracle Whip in the center of the table.

"Just in case you want to make a sandwich," Jacob said quietly as he grabbed his own plate which was piled with food. Billy prepared his sandwich silently and took a bite that left the sound of a satisfying crunch. After a few moments he spoke,

"So, that girl, you like her or something?"

"Dad, please." Jacob begged; his dad was not the person he wanted to talk to about her.

"I'm just saying," Billy began taking a bite in between his sentence, "She's a nice girl."

"I know." Jacob agreed, "How did you know why she moved here?"

"Sue told me one day a few weeks ago. Fran contacted her saying they were coming back and to let me know." Billy explained. "They haven't had the easiest summer, Holly's Dad was killed."

"What?" Jacob asked shocked.

"You didn't know that? She didn't tell you?" Billy asked just as surprised as Jacob was.

"I knew that he had died, but I didn't know he was killed." Jacob explained. "What happened?"

"You can't tell me that you didn't ask, Jake, come on." Billy looked at Jacob square in the eye.

"I did, Dad, but she just said that he died. Now tell me what happened." Jacob demanded.

"About a month ago they found her father dead in an alleyway in the sketchy part of Vancouver; he had been missing for two days." Billy sighed. "There had obviously been a struggle; he was just left in the open, not covered or anything, apparently he looked as if he had been ravished by a pack of rapid dogs."

Jacob remained silent as he glanced at his half-eaten breakfast; he suddenly wasn't hungry anymore.

"Anyways, Fran didn't want to remain in the city, let alone Canada, anymore so she moved back here with Holly. I couldn't imagine what they went through." Billy finished his breakfast in silence. After he was finished Jacob cleaned up the kitchen and waited outside for Embry.

The ride to school was silent; Quil was asleep as per usual and Embry was irritated at something but Jacob didn't pry; he wasn't in a conversational mood anyway so it didn't bother him. Once they arrived at school Jacob climbed the stairs to the second floor where his locker sat. Holly was standing beside the locker; fiddling with the cord of her iPod.

"I forgot the combination." Holly said embarrassed. Jacob just smiled and opened the locker. He threw his backpack in the locker and she did the same only grabbing a folder right after. The folder was jam-packed with pieces of sheet music and was plastered with photographs and stickers.

"Are you alright?" Holly asked suspicious of Jacob's mood.

"Yeah, I just didn't get much sleep," Jacob explained, "And I really don't want to go to auto. I hate safety week."

"Tell me about it, the theory work my teacher is giving us is next to pathetic. It took me a night to do and we are supposed to be working on this package the whole week." Holly held up a package of completed theory work. The bell sounded seconds later and Jacob let out a long whine. "Do you want to go somewhere? I really don't feel like going to first period."

"Where are we going to go?" Jacob asked intrigued.

"Anywhere," Holly said desperately.

"Definitely up for that." Jacob agreed and they rushed out of the school and into Holly's car.

"The town center is five minutes down the road and there is a coffee shop right beside the grocery store." Jacob informed Holly as she tore out of the parking lot.

"Good, I could use a coffee." She joked. It only took a few minutes to reach the town center however, there wasn't much to see. There was a grocery store and a restaurant along with a few other shops. The coffee shop was the only place worth going to. Holly parked and they walked inside together. The aroma of fresh ground coffee and warm and sugary doughnuts wafted through the doorway when Jacob opened it.

"Life is beautiful." Holly joked as she took in the smell of coffee. "It's definitely not Starbucks, but it is still beautiful." Jacob let out a boisterous laugh which echoed off the mural-covered walls.

"I'll take a large Earl Grey, black, please." Jacob ordered, "What do you want?"

"I can pay for myself," Holly said as she took out her wallet.

"I'm sure you can, but so can I. You can get the next one." Jacob joked. She smiled and gave in.

"I'll have a medium, fresh-ground, with one sugar." She said and within minutes they filled their hands with cups of steaming goodness. They finished their drinks while consumed in two puffy, bean-bag chairs that sat in the corner of the shop. Although they spent the time quietly mocking other customers, Jacob still had the question that he had wanted to ask since last night corrosively burning his insides. Holly seemed to be in a good mood and Jacob didn't want to bring her down so he let it be; he would get the chance to ask her later. On the way back to school, Holly told a story about her friends back in Vancouver.

"I come here and I finally realize the definition of normal. These kids were acting like they were in their mid-twenties and doing nothing, going nowhere, with their lives." She explained.

"When you think about it though, they've experienced so much more than the majority of the people here, I mean, three-quarters of us have not seen outside Washington and some have never been out of the reserve. We've grown up in a completely different environment." Jacob added; Holly nodded her head in agreement.

"I know exactly what you mean."

As they reached school they both realized that time was itching very close to the beginning of second period. Holly parked her car at rapid speed and together they booked it to the change room. They both managed to make it into the gym just as the teacher was blowing the whistle. Jacob could see Holly let out a sigh of relief.

"Alright you animals," the teacher said, noticing that Embry had Quil in a tight headlock with no intention of letting him go anytime soon, "Embry, please." Embry released Quil who looked extremely frazzled as he stood up straight again.

"Now today we are doing rope climbing and flexibility testing among other things." Quil sighed; they might have been able to climb the rope with one hand but when it came to touching their toes, they were hopeless.

"Okay, split into three co-ed groups." Immediately after the teacher informed them of their task there began a mad dash to find a group. Jacob, Embry and Quill stuck together and Jacob called Holly and Leah to join them. Carter joined next and two other girls in the class followed. Justine and Vivian were the dictionary definition of irritating and had ridiculously prissy attitudes that made Jacob want to strangle himself whenever they talked. Their first station was the rope.

"Why are their names on the roof?" Holly asked Jacob as she noticed a bunch of scribbled names in marker above where the rope was fastened to the ceiling.

"When you reach the top you sign your name; I'm up there three times." Jacob bragged as he pointed to the places where he's signed his name. She noticed Leah, Embry and Quil all had their names up there as well. Embry went first, reaching the top in record speed. Jacob, Quil, Carter, and Leah followed just as effortlessly. When Jacob reached the ground he found his spot beside Holly again.

"I'm next." Justine demanded as she grabbed a hold of the rope; flashing a smile at Jacob. She had flung herself at Jacob numerous times throughout high school and Jacob showed no interest; Justine definitely wasn't his type. She didn't even get half-way up before she slid down again; tearing up her hands on the rope.

"Oh my god, I think I got a sliver!" Justine whined, "Jake, can you see anything." She held her palm out to Jacob. Holly tried to be serious but ended up bursting out laughing and everyone joined in.

"And who do you think you are laughing at me." Justine questioned Holly, getting closer and closer to her face.

"Excuse me?" Holly said getting just as close.

"Don't you ever laugh at me again or you'll get it." Justine began flinging her finger in Holly's face; making her laugh harder.

"Get what?" Holly asked sarcastically.

"Justine, honestly, you skinned your palm in one spot, besides, you know that you can't slide down it." Jacob informed her, breaking up the tension.

"Hmph," Justine stood back, "No normal girl can do that anyway." Leah looked at her with wide eyes and smirk plastered on her face.

"Holly's next," Carter stated, handing her the marker. She took the marker in her mouth and began her ascent on the tired-looking rope. Within seconds she had scurried to the top and was holding her entire weight with one arm. On the roof she wrote, 'Holly Juturna – the most unordinary girl ever' with a heart beside it.

"Would you like me to write your name up here Justine?" Holly asked still holding herself at the top of the rope. "It's obvious that your normality will never allow you the chance." Justine looked at Holly horrified when everyone burst out into hysterics. Embry and Quil applauded Holly's wit and Quil bowed to her as she landed solidly on the ground. Leah jumped on her in amazement,

"You never cease to make a day interesting Hol'."

As everyone moved to the next station Jacob held his hands up and Holly gave him two high-fives, grasping his hands after each one.

"That made my day," Jacob said, keeping hold of Holly's hands.

"That should make your year," Holly joked, "I hate girls like that."

"She's watching you," Jacob informed her,

"I can feel my flesh melting off my bones." Holly said sarcastically, letting go of Jacob's hands.

Flexibility was none of the guys' fortes so they sat out and it left Leah, Holly and Vivian to compete; Justine had gone to get her hand bandaged.

"Leah's got this one." Quil exclaimed.

"I don't know; Holly's a dancer." Leah informed them, looking at Holly. Sure enough, Holly floored the competition with her ability to do the splits in all three directions and while in her left splits, bringing her toe to touch the back of her head. She left everyone awestruck.

"You certainly like making a scene, don't you new girl?" Embry asked still in shock as the class piled towards the change rooms.

"I try." Holly joked as she entered the girls' door. In the boys' change room; Quil and Embry were prying at Jacob intensely.

"Dude, she's hot." Quil admitted to Jacob, "You need to ask her out, it's obvious she's got something for you."

"Quil, she's attractive, but Jake, seriously, get your ass moving. She won't wait forever." Embry said, knowing Jacob's little secret.

"She came over last night--" Jacob said sending his friends into a spin cycle before he could finish his sentence.

"What?!" Embry and Quil shouted in unison.

"Did you make a move?" Quil asked while ungracefully jumping onto the bench and moving his hips in inappropriate motions, "Bow chicka wow-wow." Jacob punched him firmly in the arm.

"Quil, would you please act like you didn't just hit puberty," Embry looked at Quil intently, "What did you guys do?"

"She stayed for dinner, we went for a walk, I don't know." Jacob explained sheepishly as he pulled his shirt back over his head. Embry gave Jacob a high-five and continued to scold Quil about how he was successful at making every conversation awkward.

"Man, that's how I do." Quil informed Embry as the three boys walked out of the change room. Quil, walking backwards, ran right into Holly and Leah as they were coming out of the girls' room.

"Watch it." Leah said shoving him back towards Embry and Jacob. Holly let out her infamous laugh that Jacob loved. Watching her, he never realized just how attractive she was. He knew she was good-looking but he had never looked at her that way much before. Holly was easily model material with her slender but curvaceous figure and flawless face. She was irresistible.

"Why hello ladies, beautiful day aren't it?" Quil mocked in an English accented tone as he strung his arm through both Leah and Holly's. Embry and Jacob followed behind them to the cafeteria. As they were entering through the swinging doors, Holly tilted her head back and flashed Jacob a smile. Embry gave him a nudge and giggled to himself. Jade had sent lunches for the three boys again today which gave Jacob the satisfaction of a full stomach for at least an hour. Holly had received more criticism from Embry after she pulled out a Tupperware container filled with a bizarre type of salad that she called Bok Choy. Ten minutes before the bell rang for third period Holly stood up off the bench and strung her bag over her shoulder.

"Where are you going?" Leah asked Holly, finishing up the celery and peanut butter she brought for lunch.

"Locker," Holly answered, taking the last bite of her once monstrous, granny smith apple.

"Need company?" Jacob asked.

"Sure." Jacob and Holly strolled side-by-side out of the cafeteria and up the stairs towards their locker.

"So," Jacob said, "Are you an ex-circus performer or can you just naturally twist your body into unnatural positions?"

"I danced until I moved; but I've always been able to do that. I have a very flexible back and legs; the disorder is called contortionism." She answered as she took the lock off.

"Interesting." Jacob laughed as he took his backpack out of the locker.

"You mean strange?" Holly joked as she replaced a few books in her bag with some in her locker. One of her folders ended up toppling out of her hands and onto the floor; flinging paper everywhere. "Shit."

Jacob bent down and grabbed a handful that fell at his feet. He couldn't help noticing the sketch of a giant, shaded wolf in the pile of papers.

"That's really good," He said facing the drawing towards Holly. She blushed.

"Thanks, I love wolves." She said taking the papers out of Jacob's hands.

"I'm assuming you've heard the legends of the reserve then, right?" Jacob asked swallowing hard and feeling his palms starting to sweat. He knew that Gordon Juturna knew very well what La Push's inner society was hiding. He just wasn't sure if Holly knew of it as a legend or the truth.

"Of course; but since I've come back here I've been having dreams that they're true, which is absurd." She said, "I always end up sketching my dreams." Jacob felt his head spin, she was dreaming about him? It took him a minute to respond.

"They're pretty cool to listen to. I used to love when my dad would tell them to Embry, Quil and I as kids."

"Yeah, my Papa tells me them every once in a while. He also tells me that not many people know about them so I'm rather shocked that you brought it up." Holly said.

"Only a few families know of them; the one's who have lived here for many generations like our families, and the Ateara's, the Clearwater's, the Uley's, and the Call's among others." Jacob informed Holly as they approached their class room. The rest of the day went by quickly unlike the day before. Holly and Jacob met up at the locker again before they were about to leave.

"I'd ask you to come over but I'm going to Port Angeles with my Mom to go shopping." Holly said disappointedly.

"S'okay," Jacob said, "Tomorrow?"

"Of course," Holly answered immediately increasing in enthusiasm. Together they walked out of the school towards the parking lot and Jacob noticed Embry and Quil waving at him from the jeep.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow Hol." Jacob said, starting towards the jeep.

"Wait," Holly began, "Do you have a cell?"

"Yeah," Jacob answered.

"Can I have the number?" Holly asked, trying to her rose-tinted cheeks.

"Sure." She handed him the phone ready for him to enter his number. After he was done he hit the save button and couldn't help but noticing that his number was saved under 'Jacob :)'. She gave him her number and they said goodbye. Jacob tried to regain composure upon climbing into the jeep.

"Would you please just ask her out before this kills me, man?!" Quil shouted from the front seat. Jacob laughed and stared at the phone in his hands.

"That's a nice car." Embry noted, watching Holly speed out of the parking lot.

"I know; it's just as nice inside." Jacob informed his friends as they watched the car until it was out of sight.

"How did she manage to pay for that?" Quil asked as Embry started the rickety and beastly sounding engine of the jeep.

"I don't think she did." Jacob answered warily. "She said something about how her friends were really into cars back in Vancouver."

"I wish." Embry said as he pulled the jeep out of the parking lot. In the middle of a conversation about how they are not interested in reading Pygmalion in English, Quil interrupted.

"Seriously, this is bothering me," he began, "You need to ask her out. It's obvious you're crazy about each other. I've never seen you so in to someone before."

Both Embry and Jacob looked at him. Quil noticed a second later that he was being stared down.

"I'm not lying, man, the way you look at Holly doesn't even compare to the way you looked at Bella." The name made Jacob shudder. They were silent for a few moments; Embry and Jacob still remained in shock from Quil's observation. Jacob had never compared her to Bella; Holly was a completely different person. He thought about it for a moment. Holly was so much more outgoing than Bella ever was, and she wasn't nearly as spastic and prone to disaster which is something Jacob decided he'd rather. Holly was easier to talk to, but there was still so much he wanted to know. Last but not least, Jacob found himself attracted more to Holly's appearance over Bella's. When compared to Holly, Bella seemed plain and average meanwhile Holly was stunning.

As the boys got closer to their homes, Embry broke the silence, "Who wants to do something?"

"Can't," Quil began, "I've got to work."

"I'm up for anything." Jacob added.

"Of course he is. Holly isn't around tonight." Quil joked. Jacob shot him a look. After dropping Quil off at his house Embry began the drive back towards his own place.

"Sam crossed the border last night." Embry informed Jacob.

"What? Why?" Jacob asked in response; confusion clouding his thoughts.

"Check up on things, you know." Embry said.

"You don't have to bullshit me Em'," Jacob began, "He went there to see if they changed her yet." Embry remained quiet for a few moments before nodding his head. "What did he find? Or do I want to know?"

"They're gone."


	11. Chapter 11

**_THIS IS NOT MY STORY!_** It's my bestfriend's. I'm simply posting it for her.

This chapter is AMAZING in my opinion. I kept having to remind myself that Stephenie Meyer didn't write it. So, please, read and review! Reviews and always good for the soul.

* * *

The boys spent the rest of the night stuffing themselves with the food Jade had prepared and watching movies. As midnight rolled around, Jacob determined that he should be getting home before Billy decided to spontaneously combust. He informed Embry that he was leaving and sprinted home. Just as he entered the front door he saw Billy turn the light off in his bedroom – he didn't say a word about Jacob being late.

Crawling into bed after taking his clothes off, Jacob felt as if he was breaking his regular routine by not going to see Holly. Just as the thought of her crept into his mind, the annoying tone of his mobile sounded from the floor. He bent over to pick it up and, sure enough, the screen read her name.

"Hello?" Jacob said into the phone.

"Jake? It's Holly." Her voice sounded dreary and anguished. "Did I wake you?"

"No, I just got home. Is everything alright?" He asked, concerned and immediately awake from the sound of her voice.

"Yeah, I was just wondering if we were still on for tomorrow." Holly asked.

"Of course," Jacob assured, "Why wouldn't we be?"

"I was just making sure." Her voice trailed off. Jacob was awake with alertness.

"Are you alright?" Jacob asked; there was a pause.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Holly answered faintly on the other end of the phone.

"You don't sound like it." Jacob pushed; Holly didn't answer. "Holly, really, you need to tell me what's wrong."

"Jacob, really. I'm fine." She replied. "I'll talk to you tomorrow okay?"

"Holly," Jacob let out a sigh, he had to tell her the truth. "Don't make me worry about you all night." He heard a stifled cry on the other end of the receiver. "I'm coming over."

"You're what?" Holly asked; confused as to what his intentions were. "You don't know where I live and it's raining."

"You think a little rain is going to stop me?" Jacob assured.

"You don't have to. I don't want anything to happen to you." Holly protested.

"Do you want me there right now?" Jacob asked feeling very sure about the answer. "And don't lie." Holly was silent for a moment.

"More than you probably know." She finally answered.

"Give me ten minutes." Jacob got dressed and raced out to the rabbit, the car he had successfully built from the ground up over the past two years, and placed the keys in the ignition. He didn't think twice about Billy's reaction as the engine roared to life. He backed out of the tiny garage off to the side of his house and onto the road without wasting any time. As soon as he turned onto the road where the Juturna's home lay he parked a hundred yards away from the driveway to avoid being seen by anyone who was awake. Jacob dialed the number to Holly's cell and waited for her to answer.

"I'm outside." He said as soon as he heard her pick up.

"That was less than ten minutes." Holly joked.

"Give me a break." Jacob chuckled and took the keys out of the ignition.

"Come around back." She said and hung up the phone. Jacob climbed out of the rabbit and began walking towards her driveway. The rain turned into a slight mist, which was brisk yet refreshing. He walked around the back of the Juturna's house, closer than he had ever been the nights previous. When he hit the beach he noticed Holly leaning out her bedroom window. A smile illuminated her face when she saw Jacob.

"Coming out?" Jacob asked when he reached her window. Holly didn't reply, she slipped out onto the windowsill and carefully reached her legs to the sand. Although Jacob could rest his arms on her windowsill he still held out his arms to help guide her down. Holly jumped to the ground and stumbled into Jacob's open arms. He pulled her towards his torso and wrapped his heavy arms around her tiny figure. Holly savored the warmth that radiated from Jacob's body and didn't move from his grasp. They remained in silence for a few moments.

"I'm sorry." Holly rasped as she tightened her arms around Jacob. She didn't want to move.

"You have nothing to apologize for." He whispered into her ear; his lips touching the tip of her lobe.

"You didn't have to come." She said; her voice cracked as if she had been crying.

"Yes I did, I had to." Jacob explained. "I would have been up all night if I didn't come. Now you need to tell me what's wrong."

"It's just been one of those nights." Holly buried her face in Jacob's chest, adoring how close she was to him. "How long can you stay?"

"As long as you want me to." Jacob answered.

"Billy won't get angry?" She asked starring intently into his charcoal black eyes.

"I really don't care about what he'll do." Jacob reassured. Holly gave him an unimpressed glare. "Besides, he won't say anything."

"Positive? I don't need you getting in trouble." Holly said.

"Positive. Plus, why does it matter if I get in trouble, I'm here aren't I?" He asked.

"But if you get in trouble then that make it so I can't see you." She said sheepishly, pushing her face back into his chest. Jacob took a small step back and took her chin in his hand.

"You can see me whenever you want." He assured. Jacob took her hand and led her towards the beach. "Now, do you want to tell me why you really called me?" Holly sighed. She sat down in the sand once she figured the trees hid them from the house. Jacob followed.

"I just needed to talk to you I guess." She began. "My mom and I got into a huge argument tonight and it set me off."

"About what?" Jacob asked, not taking his eyes off of her.

"I don't even know. Ever since my father was killed we have been getting into these arguments about nothing. We never used to." Holly wiggled her bare feet into the damp sand.

"He was killed? What happened to him?" Jacob asked, stunned.

"I don't know. One night he was in bed and in the morning he wasn't. My mother told me he left early for work but I knew that it wasn't the case. She had worry written all over her face, and he didn't call her once throughout the day which was unusual." Her eyes drifted out towards the raging tide. "That night when he didn't come home she called the police. That night they found his body." Holly shuddered. Jacob immediately wrapped his arms around her and pulled her onto his lap. "He had been ravaged, they think it was a gang initiation or something, but I don't know what to believe. After that my mother would disappear for two or three days at a time and my whole world flipped upside down." He could feel her trembling in his grasp. "About a month later I came home one day and the house was in boxes. She said we were moving in with my grandparents." She rested her hand on his shoulder and he held her closer.

"Thank you." Was all Jacob could manage to say after a few moments of silence.

"For what." She giggled slightly.

"For telling me all that." Jacob began. "I've been wanting to ask for a while now." She said nothing, but her smile was worth a thousand words.

"I haven't told anyone besides you." Holly admitted.

"What do you mean?" Jacob asked surprised, surely she would have told someone other than him.

"No one," She shook her head, "I picked up and left without telling any of my friends, I couldn't say goodbye. It wasn't until a week ago when I finally answered a phone call from my friend Marc. I told him that I was staying with my grandparents for a while and I didn't tell him why."

"But wouldn't they have heard it on the news or something." Jacob said.

"They might have heard it but they didn't know his name." Holly explained. "For some reason I have my mother's last name. It's always been that way, and no one has ever explained to me why. All my friends know me as Holly Juturna, besides, they never met him."

"You mean they never came to your house or anything?" Jacob asked.

"No never." Holly looked as if she was in pain. She looked out at the cursing tide. "It was a lot different where I lived, Jacob."

"How so?" Jacob asked curious. Holly paused for a moment.

"There's no easy way to explain it. It was just different." She began. "It wasn't like here where everyone has life-long friends and sleepovers every weekend. Having a social like was like having to survive in the wild, it was survival of the fittest. You asked why I had the car that I do, it was because a few of my friends worked in a black-market body shop that produced illegal vehicles complete with stolen parts and all. That's what they had to do. A few others dealt drugs to get themselves out of debt from their own addictions. You were either knocked up, addicted to shooting up, or getting shot at. Your friends had to better you in some way or it wasn't worth it. Marc was my oldest friend and I met him in the ninth grade, he was in the twelfth. His dad owned the black-market shop. Other than him I had Ariel and Greg and that was it." Jacob tried as hard as he could to not produce a horrified look on his face. She was right; it was different. The only thing illegal he had ever witnessed was underage drinking and smoking marijuana, which were regular activities at parties. Thinking of sweet, intelligent, artistic, and affectionate Holly getting mixed up in that kind of world was hard to swallow.

"What have you done?" Jacob asked in a daze; it was hard to picture Holly around the people she was describing.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Jacob." She said, looking at him intently. "I just don't want it to change the way you look at me."

Jacob shook his head. "Nothing will change who you are to me."

"Promise?" She said seriously. Jacob crossed his heart.

"I swear." Holly sighed, never once taking her eyes away from Jacob's.

"At the beginning of high school I ended up mixing in with the wrong people and developed a drug problem. I tried almost everything in the book, but once I hit sophomore year Marc realized what I had been doing and pulled me out of the dark hole I had dug myself in to." Jacob looked into her eyes carefully. The look she had made him realize all that she had witnessed in her adolescence, something no girl as special as Holly should have ever experienced. He then realized why she liked it in La Push as much as she said she did. "I haven't touched anything since, not a cigarette, not a joint, not even alcohol. I realized how stupid I was."

"I don't know what to say." Jacob admitted.

"You don't have to say anything." Holly assured with a warm smile. "I'm sorry."

"Again, you have nothing to be sorry for." Jacob promised.

"Yes I do. You probably didn't want to hear all that, I just felt I needed to tell you." She explained. "I don't want to lead you to believe I'm someone different."

"I want to hear everything you have to say, Holly." Jacob admitted. "Anything you need to say, complain about, obsess over, anything, I'll be here to listen. You need to realize that." She smiled to herself.

"Jacob Black, you are unlike anyone I've ever met before." Holly said, there were no more tears clouding her eyes. He tightened his grip around her and she curled into a little ball on his lap. Jacob's scorching temperature made Holly feel as if she was sitting in front of a warm fireplace with a cup of tea, it baffled her but at the same time she felt as if she wanted to spend the rest of her life right where she was, not moving at all.

Together they sat on the beach until the darkness began to drift away. The sky was a calm, cloudless grey as the morning tide began to crash at their feet.  
"You should probably go inside before someone wakes up." Jacob whispered to Holly who had remained motionless and warm in Jacob's embrace.

"I guess." She groaned. Jacob stood up off the ground with Holly still in his arms. She giggled.

"Not like someone has superman-like strength or anything." She said sarcastically jumping down from his arms. She stretched her arms out revealing an inch of skin below her t-shirt; her tattoo peaked out from under the waistband of her shorts.

"Well, you know." Jacob joked, flexing his right bicep. She tenderly punched his stomach and laughed.

"I think I might call in sick this morning and sleep for a bit." Holly said yawning. "Someone kept me up all night."

"Hey, you could have gone inside at any time, don't blame me." Jacob said smiling.

"But you're so warm, I can say honestly that you are warmer than my bed." Holly admitted, taking his hands in hers. Jacob shrugged his shoulders and pulled her closer.

"If you don't come to school what do I have to look forward too?" He asked, watching her every move with adoration in his eyes.

"I guess you are right," Holly said. "How long is it until school?" Jacob pulled his cell phone out from the pocket of his jeans. Holly swiped it gingerly out of his hand and opened it.

"I don't think I can wait that long to see you again." She informed Jacob and turned the phone to face him; it read 5:46.

"It's not going to be easy." Jacob admitted. He felt the same way.

"I can pick you up, that'll make it sooner." Holly offered, smiling brightly.

"I think that's a good idea." Jacob agreed.

"I guess I should get going inside, my grandpa is probably already awake." She said grudgingly. "Time's going to pass really slowly. I might even forget what you look like."

"I know," Jacob said. "But I think I can give you something to remember me enough until we get to be together."

"And what is that?" Holly wondered playfully. Jacob could feel his heartbeat in his ears as he pulled Holly even closer. Her eyes, alive with anticipation, rested on Jacob's, waiting. He brought his face closer to hers, the tips of their noses touched softly. Jacob hesitated for a moment, savoring the moment. He then pressed his lips against hers.

A rush of adrenaline flooded their bodies as their lips moved in perfect unison, gliding across each other's generating a passionate energy. Holly had never felt this way for someone before; Jacob's rough lips and firm grip on her back gave her a rush as she entwined her fingers into his long black hair. He was so warm; she never knew that this type of feeling ever existed. Jacob felt the touch of her silky lips and knew that he could never live without her again. Kissing Bella never created this much of a surge in his body. Of course, he had always thought that Bella had wanted to kiss him but he knew he was wrong after kissing Holly. The way she wrapped her arms around him and ran her fingers through his hair proved that she wanted this kiss just as much as Jacob did. After a few moments they pulled away and a second later they were kissing again. After not being able to resist each other two more times they finally parted. Jacob breathed heavily as the rush calmed inside him. Holly ran her fingers along her bottom lip; the feeling was unbelievable.

Without saying a word she took Jacob's hand and hers and walked back towards her window.

"I'll see you in about an hour and a half?"

"I'll be counting down to the second." He answered as he helped her back through the open window effortlessly. Holly leant out and kissed him tenderly on the lips. She smiled as she watched Jacob back towards his car, not taking his eyes of her. He turned the corner and as soon as she was out of sight he bolted into the forest to avoid being noticed by anyone. He made it to his car unseen and drove home as fast as he could. "One more hour." Jacob noted as he pulled into his driveway.


	12. Chapter 12

For once it's Stephanie posting her lovely chapter for all to see :)

Uhm, not to sure what to say but whatever. The characters don't belong to me though, with the exception of Holly and Justine of course, they belong to the wonderfully talented Stephenie Meyer.

* * *

As Jacob pulled the rabbit back into it's spot in the tiny garage Billy popped into his mind; he'd be awake by now for sure, everyone older than forty was awake with the sun in La Push. Jacob figured he would face Billy head on rather than sneak around. There would have been no way that Billy wouldn't have heard his car roar into the garage. Taking in one last breath Jacob waltzed right through the front door only to see Billy sitting at his spot at the kitchen table along with a steaming bowl of oatmeal and a large mug of coffee.

"Morning." Billy greeted casually, not even glancing up from the morning paper.

"Morning." Jacob acknowledged.

"I made some extra, it's on the stove." Billy informed Jacob coolly just before taking a sip of his piping hot coffee.

"Thanks." Jacob spooned himself out a bowl of lukewarm oatmeal with tiny chunks of apple and cinnamon swirled throughout. He took a seat at the table across from Billy. Not another word was exchanged. After Jacob was finished he rinsed his bowl in the sink and sauntered to the bathroom to take a shower. Facing Billy was surprisingly painless and uneventful; Jacob was sure Bill had known where he was. Just before hopping into the ice-cold stream of water pouring from the showerhead, Jacob checked his cell phone. _"7:00."_

Jacob was used to cold showers; their ancient water-heater had a temperamental attitude and rarely worked in the washroom. He didn't mind how the brisk temperature of the water woke him up in the mornings. After drying himself off he entered his bedroom and put on a clean pair of jeans and a brown sweater. His damp hair hung just passed his shoulders in slight waves. Once he was ready he grabbed his bag and went to wait on the front porch. While he waited he called Embry to inform him that he didn't need a ride.

"Alright man, but you know that Quil is going to flood you with questions." Embry chuckled just before hanging up. Jacob knew Embry was right; Quil would harass him all day. Waiting for Holly on the front porch was the first time he actually had time to think about the night before. She was so _close _to him; the smell of her hair, that coconut essence, was all he could smell. The softness of her fingers left the skin on his hand numb. Before he realized that time had actually passed, the cherry red glint of Holly's car was pulling into the driveway. A smile illuminated on Holly's face as soon as Jacob came into view; she had rushed as fast as she could on the slick, dewy roads of La Push to get there. Jacob hopped into the car and as they began backing out of the driveway he noticed Billy watching them from the dusty kitchen window.

"Did Billy say anything?" Holly asked, she must have noticed him as well.

"Nope, not out of the usual." Jacob said. "Besides the fact he actually left me some oatmeal."

"Well, my Grandpa thought I slept like a baby. He said, 'I didn't even hear you get up at all in the middle of the night. Are you sleeping better?' It made me laugh." Holly said, clearly amused. "He didn't realize a thing." During the remainder of the drive they chatted but never engaged in any serious conversation as they did the night before and Jacob felt a bit relieved; he liked hearing Holly talk about things that made her happy.

As Holly's car pulled into the parking lot of their high school Embry knocked Quil out of his dozed-off state and told him to duck. Together they watched as Jacob and Holly emerged from the car, laughing.

"Man, he's in love." Quil pointed out. "Like head over heels, I've never seen him like this."

"Thanks for stating the obvious Quil, I would have never realized it by myself." Embry said sarcastically.

"Anytime." Quil remained oblivious to Embry's wit, making him shake his head in disbelief. The two continued to watch Holly and Jacob make their way through the double doors beside the parking lot. Just as they were about to enter the building, Quil and Embry noticed Holly entwine her fingers with Jacob's.

"Man! Did you see that?" Quil exclaimed. "They were holding hands." He now had his hands grasped to Embry's shoulders and was shaking him violently. Embry jerked away from Quil's grip; a look of sheer astonishment crossed his face.

"No Quil, I didn't. I think I need glasses." Embry joked.

"You should get that shit checked out, man." Quil informed Embry, completely oblivious for the second time in a row. Embry remained in a blank stare until Quil looked at him again. "What are you starring at me for?"

"Quil, look up the word sarcasm and tell me what it means." Embry said as he jumped out of the jeep; Quil had ruined any attempt at an intelligently planned stealth mission.

"Seriously, I don't understand you half the time." Quil shrugged, following Embry into the school.

As Jacob and Holly approached their locker, Jacob began to notice the attention that had been drawn to them. A group of girls were conjugated approximately five lockers down from theirs and were turning and whispering to each other at the sight of the two holding hands.

"A pathetic attempt at being subtle on their part." Holly noted as she broke away from Jacob's hand and tried to open the locker. As she turned the lock violently it remained closed when she tried to pull it open. She dropped it in defeat. "I guess that means you are going to have to be here every time I need in the locker, huh?"

"I don't mind that one bit." Jacob laughed as he opened the lock with ease. Holly tossed her bag into the locker and retrieved a small folder plastered with pictures and clothing tags, resembling her notebook. Sheet music and papers with notes jotted on them were overflowing from the folders sides and masking tape lined the edges to keep it from falling apart. Jacob grabbed his binder and a pen from his bag and closed the locker.

"Walk me to class Jacob Black." Holly ordered as she took a hold of his russet-colored hand again, sending another jolt through his entire body; a feeling Jacob would never want to forget. They strolled slowly down to the end of the hallway where the orchestra room lay. Just before going through the double doors, Holly turned to face Jacob.

"I'll see you in gym?" She asked, running her fingers up and down his forearms.

"Yes, you will." Jacob smiled and pulled her closer to him. "Write me something if you get bored in there."

"Alright!" Holly exclaimed enthusiastically. "I'll be bored without you." Jacob just smiled at her as he looked into her eyes; it was the happiest he had ever seen her.

"I should probably get down to class." Jacob said quietly, only expecting her to hear. Holly looked down at her caramel-colored Uggs, and back up at Jacob. She leaned towards him more and propped herself up on her tiptoes to get closer to his face. Jacob filled in the gap of space between their lips and kissed her gently. Holly pulled away a second later to avoid sending herself into cardiac arrest.

"Bye." Holly said as Jacob pulled away. As he walked down the hallway back towards the stairs he looked behind him only to see Holly smiling back at him just before she entered through the doors of the orchestra room. Auto went rather quickly, much to Jacob's surprise; he was he first person out of the class when the bell rang. As he approached the gym, Jacob noticed Leah right in front of him.

"What's up?" He asked as he caught up to her.

"Nothing really. I'm exhausted; I haven't been able to sleep lately. You?" Leah said rummaging through her bag.

"Nothing, auto is beginning to bore me to death." Jacob said. They continued to talk for a few minutes in front of the change rooms. His full attention was on Leah until he noticed Holly turning the corner. She smiled at him and walked into the change room. Not realizing that Leah was still talking, he continued to watch her until she was out of sight.

"Jacob's got a crush." Leah taunted, breaking Jacob's trance.

"I think it's a little more than just a crush." He said quietly. Jacob figured Leah should know, even if she was a loudmouth. He trusted that she would keep this to herself; she wasn't evil all the time. Leah smiled.

"Good." She said as she followed Holly into the change room. "Now, Jake, that's what I want to hear."

In gym they continued with their fitness training and laughed at how Justine constantly scowled at Holly and Jacob's closeness.

"Holly, that girl is going to tear your head off." Quil commented as he finished his crunches.

"Well, maybe." Holly began, "That is if she can catch me." Everyone laughed. After class they all changed and met in front of the gym.

"Lunch, my favourite subject of the day." Quil exclaimed, walking ahead of the group. Jacob and Holly walked behind the rest of them, hands entwined again. They sat together at lunch and ignored how everyone starred at the fact they were sitting closer than usual.

In English, they held hands under their desks while watching a film-enactment of Pygmalion. Embry and Quil tried as hard as they could not to laugh. Seeing Jacob go head over heels for someone other than Bella was something that they had always wanted for him; and they actually liked Holly without having to pretend which was a bonus, it wasn't hard to like her. She _fit_ unlike Bella ever did; it seemed almost effortless to get along with her.

By the end of the day, Jacob was about ready to explode; he had to see her. Just as he entered the generally unused stairwell that lead from the art hallway to their locker, he noticed Holly walking just in front of him.

"Ahem." He sounded, following her down the stairs.

"Can I help you?" She joked waiting at the base of the stairs.

"Yes, yes you can." Jacob exclaimed as he jumped the last three stairs and wrapped his arms around her stomach.

"Someone a little excited to see me?" Holly laughed, hugging him back. Within seconds she pressed her lips against his; she couldn't ignore the urge any longer. Pausing only for short breaths they continued to kiss in the stairwell; Jacob didn't want to leave and neither did Holly. Eventually they parted and starred into each other's eyes. Alive with fire, Holly kissed Jacob one more time; with more intensity than ever before, leaving Jacob stunned.

"You're amazing." She said taking his hand and leading him back towards the locker. Jacob was speechless; all his worries about rejection were obliterated in that moment.

"So where do you want to go?" Holly asked as they climbed into her car. The rain started to pour as she pulled out of the parking lot.

"We can go to my house again, unless you want to do something else." Jacob suggested.

"That sounds perfect actually." She smiled and turned towards Jacob's house. They sat in a comfortable silence until she pulled into the driveway. Together they ran inside to avoid getting soaked.

"Dad?" Jacob called, taking his shoes off. When no answer came he noticed a note sitting on the counter. "Gone to Charlie's to watch the game, be home tonight." He read aloud.

"He won't mind if I'm here?" Holly asked, taking a seat on the couch.

"Nope." Jacob was sure that Billy wouldn't mind; he already knew that Billy would rather any girl other than Bella at the house, especially if it was Holly. Jacob lied down on the couch and draped his legs over her lap. She laughed and maneuvered her body so her head was lying comfortably on his chest. "Do you want to watch a movie?"

"You aren't allowed to move." Holly laughed. Jacob traced his fingers down her back. Within moments they were both asleep, Jacob didn't realize how tired he had been and having Holly there with him put him at ease and made it easier to fall asleep.

Jacob's dreams had always been vivid, but since he transitioned for the first time it was as if they were reality. He dreamt of a forest, but not a familiar one. The sky was orange from the sunset and a harsh wind made it hard to walk even in the thick of the trees. Jacob felt panicked; he was alone, but he knew he was looking for someone. He called Holly's name and there was no answer. He kept calling, screaming, shouting louder and louder until he heard the howl of a wolf. He felt himself shiver from the sound and ran towards the sound, but he couldn't find her. He woke up in a cold sweat what seemed like moments later. The house was dark, and Jacob moved his hand to make sure she was there and sure enough she was breathing softly, and asleep on his chest. Jacob felt relieved. He didn't want to move but he knew he had to check the time. He tried to lift himself gently from underneath Holly trying not to wake her but he was unsuccessful. She opened her eyes and sat up, her hair sticking up on the side she was lying on.

"What's wrong?" She asked still half-asleep.

"I'm just checking the time." Jacob stretched and read the clock on the ancient stove. "It's seven. When do you have to be home?"

"I didn't call so probably soon." Holly said. "My mom doesn't really notice when I'm not there but my Grandma does." She rubbed her eyes and yawned.

"Are you alright to drive home?" Jacob asked.

"Yeah. Just give me a minute to wake up." Holly assured. She wrapped her arms around him from behind and kissed his shoulder.

"What are you doing tomorrow night?" Jacob asked out of the blue.

"Nothing in particular, why?" Holly asked; her face still buried into his shoulder.

"Do you want to go to Port Angeles? Like, out for dinner or something?" Jacob felt a little strange, he never asked a girl out like this before.

"Like on a date?" Holly giggled.

"I guess. If you want to call it that." Jacob blushed, he was glad it was dark.

"Of course, I'd love to then." Holly answered. A moment passed in silence before Holly spoke up again. "I should probably get going."

"Call me when you get home please." Jacob asked feeling a bit protective.

"Sure." She said standing up and stretching. They walked outside together and kissed gently before Holly climbed into her car. She waved to him and backed out of the driveway. Jacob longed for her to stay but he knew that he would see her again tomorrow, or sooner.

As she promised, Holly called when she got home. Billy came in the door not soon after along with Charlie, his best friend and Bella's father.

"Hey Jake!" Charlie greeted, it had been a long time since they had seen each other.

"Hi Charlie." Jacob answered, not getting up from his spot on the couch.

"I'm surprised you aren't with Holly, Jake." Billy said, grabbing two beers from the fridge. Jacob glared at his father; Charlie was not someone he wanted to know about Holly.

"She was here already, she just left." Jacob answered, browsing through all of fifteen channels that came in legible.

"So who's Holly?" Charlie asked, taking a seat in the chair next to the couch.

"Jacob's girlfriend." Billy answered from the kitchen.

"She's not my girlfriend." Jacob protested in a monotone voice.

"No, of course not," Billy joked as he wheeled himself into the living room. "Just a girl you leave to go see at night." Jacob was stunned. He couldn't believe Billy would bring it up in front of Charlie of all people. The father of the girl he had been in love with for the past two years, the father who wanted him to marry his daughter. The situation had grown to awkward for Jacob to handle and he got up off the couch without saying a word.

"Now, where are you going?" Billy chuckled.

"To go see the girl I leave to see at night." Jacob said in a pissed off tone. He ignored Billy and Charlie's booming laughter as he slammed the front door behind him.


	13. Chapter 13

And another... I am definitely hoping to write five chapters in this week being away in Virginia, (I'm with Jayme , of course)

I am currently almost finished chapter fourteen, so I have two more to write to reach my goal ahaha, which I probably will make.

Enjoy :D

-steph

* * *

Racing through the forest, Jacob felt as if he would never change back to a human. Seeing Charlie again had sent him into a spin cycle, he couldn't stand any reminder of Bella. All he wanted at that moment was to hold Holly, but he knew he couldn't, at least, not as a wolf. She had told him some of her biggest secrets and his was still burning a hole in his stomach; he wanted her to know, she _had _to know. Jacob just didn't know how to tell her.

As he approached Holly's house he moved closer to the beach hoping he would spot her. He felt his heart race as soon as her hair came into view, blowing in the wind behind her. The only difference about tonight was that she wasn't alone. Another figure sat with her in the sand. Their dark hair blowing identically in the wind, Jacob could tell their skin was darker than Holly's, copperier. He soon realized that the other person was Fran, Holly's mother. Holly was a direct reflection of her mother and the resemblance became more relevant when they were next to each other. Jacob sat further away from the sand than he had before and could still hear their conversation word for word.

"I know who he is Holly." Fran chuckled; even their voices were alike. "His mother was my best friend, I was there in the hospital when the kid was born."

"I figured as much." Holly said.

"So what about him?" Fran asked interested.

"I don't know; he's just _different_. He's unlike anyone I've ever met before." She said starring at her feet. She tickled her toes in the soft sand.

"So that's where you've been all the time." Fran joked, wrapping one arm around Holly. "I've barely seen you."

"Yeah." Holly giggled, resting her head on her mother's shoulder.

"I know this won't count for much," Fran began, "But you have my blessing. I'm just not sure how your grandfather is going to take this."

"What do you mean?" Holly's voice sounded concerned. "He's not my father, he can't tell me what to do."

"Oh, yes he can Holly." Fran warned. "He isn't particularly fond of the people here. Especially with the Black's." Jacob felt his heart wrench; he had heard this story far too many times.

"I don't get it mom. I just don't. What does some old rivalry have to do with us? Jacob probably doesn't even know about it. Hell, I don't even know about it!" Holly said defensively.

"Holly, please try to understand." Fran pleaded.

"Well, I don't." Holly said, "And I don't think I ever will. Besides it won't stop me from seeing him. I'm not scared of Grandpa." Jacob wanted to rush out of the bushes and take her in his arms, but his growing frustration was making it impossible to change back.

"You will be." Fran assured. "Holly, I'm on your side. I'm trying, but it's hard enough to make Grandma understand that you don't have a curfew for God's sake, give me a break. They don't understand, it's almost like they blame me for raising you wrong."

"You didn't raise me wrong." Holly explained. "Maybe if Grandpa met him, maybe his opinion will change." Jacob felt immediately nervous; meeting adults had never been a problem for Jacob but he knew that a lot would rest on this, possibly his future with Holly.

"Maybe, but I'm not promising anything." Fran said. "Bring him over Saturday, I want to meet him too."

"Sure." Holly smiled at her mother. Jacob guessed they were closer than Holly had described and that's probably why getting in a fight with her sent her so over the edge.

"Don't worry kiddo. Everything will be fine." Fran said, hugging her daughter. She kissed the top of Holly's head and stroked her long sandy, brown hair. "Are you two official or no? Or not yet?"

"Mom, please." Holly laughed out loud and remained silent for a few moments. "Not yet, we are going out to Port Angeles tomorrow."

"Ou, what are you wearing." Fran asked, shifting her shoulders. Their conversation seemed so normal; Jacob had never had that type of a relationship with a parent before. He figured it was different for girls. It made him think of how his sisters would talk to their mother now, that is, if she were still alive.

"I don't know," Holly buried her face in her hands, "I'm so nervous, I've never been this nervous about a date. You know me. I don't know what's gotten into me." Fran smiled at her smitten daughter.

"Your long aqua shirt from Costa Blanca and a pair of black tights, with your roman-style sandals. I'll even let you wear my rhinestone bangles." Fran suggested, "He won't know what to do with himself." Holly laughed.

"Trust the genius. Any tips on how to make him fall for me hard?" Holly bugged. Jacob laughed silently; little did she know he couldn't fall any farther for her, Jacob didn't even think it was possible.

"Now that you have to figure out yourself. I don't share my secrets in that area." Fran taunted as she got up off the sand. "I'm going to bed sweets, are you coming in?"

"Not yet, I think I'm going to stay out a little longer." Holly said looking towards the forest Jacob was sitting in.

"Alright, night." Fran said, bending down to give Holly a kiss. Moments after Fran went in the house, Holly jumped off the sand and scrambled to the edge of the forest. Jacob watched her intently; he felt her eyes on him. He inched forward, careful not to startle her.

When the wolf came into view Holly smiled. His friendly face and playful eyes made Holly feel safe, even if he was seven feet taller than she was. She paced towards the wolf and reached her hand out, stopping every five inches to make sure it was safe to move closer. Once she was close enough, she tickled the fur on his chest. It was soft yet rough to the touch and heat just radiated off its body like it was some kind of space heater.

Jacob breathed heavily as she stroked his fur. Even in the dark he could see the illuminated smile just radiating from her cheeks. After a few moments he began to back away, he was starting to feel at ease and that wasn't a good sign. He didn't want to change back when he was right in front of her; it would create a situation Jacob was not ready to handle. He thought to himself how awkward it would be, _"Oh yeah, Holly, I'm a werewolf."_ He could picture himself saying. As he backed away he noticed Holly sway in disappointment. She didn't move out of the forest until the wolf was completely out of her sight.

The next morning came to early for Jacob but at the same time he felt as if he had been waiting for 7:00 to come for ages. He showered before stalking into the kitchen. He planned to ignore Billy for the night before.

"I see you slept here last night." Billy commented as Jacob glowered into the kitchen. Jacob, as planned, remained silent. "Jake, Gordon Juturna isn't as forgiving as you might think he is. He'd do a double-take if he ever caught you." Billy continued talking while Jacob tried hard not to listen. "Have you met him?" Jacob didn't answer. "Jake, seriously. Stop being a little jackass, please." Jacob looked at his father with an annoyed expression and turned back to pouring milk into a gigantic mixing bowl full of Cheerios. "You have to talk to me eventually."

"Eventually." Jacob scoffed from over his Cheerios. After realizing there were no clean spoons he grabbed the clean ladle from the jar beside the sink and began to eat. He felt his cell phone buzz in the pocket of his jeans and took it out.

"Hello?" Jacob asked without even looking at who was calling him.

"Do you need a ride?" It was Embry.

"Sure." Jacob answered.

"Be there in twenty." And he hung up. Jacob continued to eat and Billy continued to talk.

"Jake, I'm just saying be careful. I don't want you to lose her over something that is unnecessary." Billy said, almost sounding sincerely concerned.

"I'm not going to lose her Dad." Jacob assured, disappointed that he broke his silence twice.

"You lost Bella to something extremely unnecessary." Billy accused as if it had been Jacob's fault she had picked a bloodsucker over him and now she was probably one herself. Jacob swallowed the last bit of milk in his bowl, trying really hard not to crush it in his hands.

"I know where I get it from now." Jacob said as he dropped the dishes violently in the sink and grabbed his bag.

"Get what?" Billy asked.

"My tendency of being a jackass." And with that said, Jacob walked out of the house. Embry arrived not too long after and they drove to school in silence. Embry noted Jacob's pissed off mood at first glance and decided to let him cool down until getting to school. Once he parked the jeep he slapped Quil playfully across the face to wake him up.

"Get out sleeping beauty." Embry joked as he climbed out. Quil grunted grudgingly and walked towards the school. Jacob and Embry followed behind.

"You alright?" Embry asked casually.

"Billy's being a jerk." Jacob said almost expressionless.

"Got to love it." Embry replied as they walked into the school. Jacob felt a little nervous when he didn't see Holly at their locker and the storm cloud that had formed over his head followed him to first period, which was as dreadful as ever. He texted Holly three times but received no reply. He felt relieved when he saw her emerge from the girls' change room. She walked right over to Jacob when she saw him.

"I'm sorry, I was late and I left my cell at home by mistake." Holly said wrapping her arms around Jacob's body.

"It's okay." Jacob felt immediately better and hugged her back. They stood like that for a moment until their teacher blew the whistle; they were playing prison ball. Jacob was put onto a team with Quil and Leah while Embry, Carter and Holly were on the other team. Jacob rolled his eyes when Justine strutted onto their side after arriving late. She flashed him a flirtatious smile and he looked away in disregard. Holly laughed from the other side of the court, noticing the gesture as well. The game got pretty violent once they had gotten the deadbeats in each other's prisons. Jacob could hear Justine from the other team's prison calling his name, trying to get him to throw her the ball. He ignored her with ease as he continued to play. Quil smacked Holly in the leg with one of the red elephant balls.

"Douche." Holly exclaimed as she ran past Quil and into the prison behind Jacob.

"Hey you," Holly called from behind Jacob.

"Stop distracting me." Jacob joked, catching every ball that was thrown at him.

"Let me have one." She giggled, following his movement.

"That would be unfair to my team." Jacob whispered back at her.

"Come on." She pleaded. Jacob glanced quickly behind him only to see her flashing him the cutest pouty-face he had ever seen.

"Who can ignore a face like that?" Jacob questioned as he let a ball roll right past him. Holly quickly threw the ball at someone else on Jacob's team and freed herself from the prison. Returning to her own side she grabbed a ball right as it was about to cross the line into the prison and roll into Justine's awaiting hands.

"Bitch." Justine muttered under her breath.

"Jealousy is not flattering, you need to realize that." Holly argued, not taking her eyes off the game.

"You don't deserve him. You're trash." Justine whispered, only loud enough for Holly to hear.

Moving to the other side of the court, Holly didn't notice a ball roll right into Justine's hands. As soon as she stood upright, Justine purposely whipped the ball at Holly hitting her square in the back of the head. Jacob noted the gesture and went stiff, as did everyone else. A few had already noticed their words that were exchanged earlier. The gym went quiet as Holly whipped around to face Justine who had started to laugh.

"Not a smart idea on your part." Holly commented. Justine walked towards her, fists clenched and teeth bared as if she were a rabid dog. Everyone gasped as Justine flung a clenched fist at Holly's face. Holly caught Justine's flying fist in mid air and knocked her to the ground in one fluent motion. Holly knelt down beside Justine and held her to the ground, whispering something in her ear.

"Again, not a smart idea."

Within seconds the teacher was at their sides, along with everyone else in the class. Jacob pushed through to the front of the crowd. Holly got up off the ground and a few girls picked Justine up. Her face must have cushioned the fall because Justine's nose was streaming with blood.

"Alright, you two; break it up." He said pushing the girls apart.

"Not a chance." Justine muttered as she ran through the teacher and jumped on Holly's back. Within moments they were on the ground again, throwing punches. Jacob and Carter ran over and pulled them off each other.

"Easy, Holly." Jacob yelled, as he yanked her off Justine. He was surprised at the strength she had for her size. "Calm down." He set her down once her kicking had subsided and had to catch her before she tried to jump on Justine again. After setting her down again, Holly pushed past Jacob and into the change room. After class Holly had been pulled into the teacher's office for a talking to. Jacob waited outside the gym for her. He didn't even look at Justine when she walked past him.

"I totally had her." She bragged to one of her friends. Jacob shook his head irritably noticing all the bruises on her face, _"Yeah, right Justine"_. When Holly emerged from the office she ran square into Jacob and stood there, absorbing the smell of him, detergent and pine. He wrapped his arms gently around her.

"You alright?" He asked after a moment.

"Yeah, I just wish I wasn't in school when that happened. She wouldn't know what hit her." Holly said relatively calmly.

"Well, you destroyed her face, but why did you hit her?" Jacob asked, not letting go of Holly.

"Isn't it obvious? I mean she smoked me in the back of the head with an elephant ball. Besides that though didn't you hear what she said to me?" Holly asked looking up at Jacob, growing in frustration.

"No, I saw her say something to you but I didn't hear it." Jacob replied.

"She told me that…" Holly's voice trailed off, "It's actually not important."

"Yes it is Hol', I want to know." Jacob pried.

"Seriously, it doesn't need to be said." Holly said as she began walking away. "I'm just going to forget about it. I have one more chance, after that I get suspended."

The remainder of the day was filled with intensive gossip on how the new girl kicked Justine's ass and vice versa. Jacob remained silent when a few guys asked him about it. At the end of the day Jacob met Holly at the locker. She had the hood of her sweater pulled up over her head and was listening to her iPod probably as loud as it could go; Jacob could hear almost every word of the song that was playing. She looked up and smiled faintly when she noticed that Jacob was there and turned off her music.

"I'm so glad today's over." She exclaimed, "I can't wait for tonight."

"I'm going to pick you up around five is that alright?" Jacob asked placing a hand on her back.

"Perfect, actually." Holly agreed, "That gives me enough time to get ready. Do you need a ride home?"

"Not today, I'm going to get a ride with Embry." Jacob said regrettably, but he had to talk to Embry.

"Alright." She said as she closed the locker. Together they walked out of the school and right as Jacob turned towards Embry's jeep, Holly pulled him back. "I'll see you tonight. Thank you for everything today."

"Anything for you." Jacob said quietly and he bent down and kissed her.

From inside the jeep Embry and Quil sat motionless and silently with their jaws dropped.

"Lucky bastard." Quil said, breaking the silence. "I didn't know he had it in him."

"I did." Embry said, "But I think this might be further along than we think."

"Man, the train has left the station, and we definitely aren't on it." Quil laughed at his own wit. Embry just stared at him in disgust.

"You're a little dense, Quil, I hate to break it to you." He said, turning back to Jacob and Holly.

"I'm as solid as a rock, unbreakable almost, I already knew that, man." Quil said, fiddling with the door handle.

"Break that, and I'll kill you." Embry warned as Jacob walked towards the jeep.

"But you just agreed that I was indestructible." Quil said, feeling as if he had won the battle. Embry put his face in his hands and shook his head.

"I give up." He said as Jacob opened the door and hopped in.

"Playa, playa, show me some love." Quil said enthusiastically, giving Jacob props.

"Quil, honestly, your Eminem impersonation is not flattering." Embry joked as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"So," Quil began, ignoring Embry completely and flipping around in his seat so his back of against the dashboard and he was facing Jacob, "We want the down-low on Holly."

"Way to be subtle dip shit." Embry commented.

"Embry wouldn't know humor if it smacked him across the face with a rubber chicken." Quil began booming with laughter at his own joke. Jacob and Embry just stared at each other in confusion.

"There is nothing about Holly. I don't get what everyone finds so interesting." Jacob dodged the question.

"Oh I don't know, maybe the fact that you were hopelessly in love with Bella and then as soon as Holly arrives it was like Bella never existed." Quil said sarcastically.

"Bella existed," Jacob corrected, "She just doesn't matter anymore." Jacob looked continually at his feet. Why did everyone still care about Bella? Bella didn't _exist _anymore, and Jacob was sick and tired of hearing her name.

"So are you two official?" Embry asked, changing the subject away from Bella; Jacob was more than thankful.

"Not yet," Jacob began, "I mean, I don't know. Like it seems like we are together but it's different when other people are around I guess; more subtle maybe?"

"Well it doesn't seem very subtle when your standing in a parking lot so what is it like when you're alone? Intense make-out sessions, clothes-less even?" Quil joked. Jacob stared at him in disgust.

"I think Jake has a little more decency than that Quil," Embry scoffed, "Give him a break."

"Seriously," Jacob began, "I don't know what to think yet. I mean, last night, we just fell asleep together as if we had known each other for years. Like it's weird, I don't know how to comprehend it." Embry and Quil remained silent for a few moments.

"So what happened today? With Justine?" Quil asked, "What was that all about?"

"I have no idea." Jacob explained. "Holly wouldn't tell me but I know that there were words exchanged." Within moments they were pulling into Quil's driveway. After saying goodbye, it was just Embry and Jacob left in the jeep.

"I need your help." Jacob pleaded. "I'm taking her out tonight and I have no idea what to do."

"Being yourself is your best bet." Embry joked. "Why are you asking me?"

"Can I borrow something to wear? Like you know all I have are sweaters and jeans."

"Jeans are all right," Embry informed Jacob. "I mean, you aren't taking her to some fine dining restaurant. Wear that long-sleeved black shirt you have and bring a jacket."

Jacob was in shock, "It's comforting to know that your best friend knows what you have in your closet."

"You asked for my help. Did you not?" Embry reminded Jacob.

"I won't be cold, so I won't need the jacket." Jacob reminded Embry.

"Bring it anyway." Embry commanded him.

"Why?" Jacob asked, lost in translation.

"Because she might be." Embry was right.

"Good thinking." Jacob said in agreement.

"Good thinking for not bringing this up around Quil." Embry said, sending them both into a fit of laugher.


	14. Chapter 14

Hey guys, another one.

Sorry it's rather short but the next one will be longer, I promise.

If you read, please review, i enjoy criticism.

Steph!

* * *

Holly put herself in front of the bathroom mirror and longed for the bathroom she had back in Vancouver; it had made her feel like a movie star. In La Push, however, she had one bathroom to share with everyone else. The dingy mirror and plastic cup holding her grandmother's teeth made her feel somewhat less glamorous. She knew she was pretty but looking at herself in dimly lit bathroom gave her doubts. Holly wasn't sure if it was just her nerves or her surroundings that made her self-conscious all of a sudden. Back in Vancouver she had used her looks for everything, it was always easier to fit in being pretty. Sometimes, however, her looks got her into trouble, mainly with older men. Her past always terrified her; everyday she worried if Jacob would wake up and realize that Justine was right, she was trash.

Setting her internal issues aside, Holly continued to apply some make-up. It had been weeks since she had put any on; she didn't feel the need to impress anyone here and it wasn't like home where it was the norm to paint your face with cosmetics. She started by covering the slight bruise that Justine had left across her cheek. Holly wasn't worried about how it made her look; she knew that within a few hours it would be gone. Lately scars and bruises were disappearing from her body effortlessly fast, like the scratch she had on her face weeks before. Next she applied some mascara and a bit of caramel and aqua eye shadow, bringing out the intensity of her eyes. Make-up on her eyes had always made her look exotic which was a quality she loved; she just wished her skin were the color of her mother's. After removing the towel piled on top of her hair she flipped her head upside down and spread a silky mousse through the strands of sandy brown hair. Flipping it back up she realized that she liked the way her hair had fallen and sprayed it quickly with hairspray. After she finished getting ready she piled her stuff together and darted back to her room.

The walls she had painted a soft mauve with storm clouds lining the top. Around the bottom she painted blowing wheat plants, bent as if they would snap at any moment. Her walls were plastered with sketches and paintings. More recent pieces depicted the same thing, the inquisitive wolf that had appeared in the forest by her house for the past few nights. Behind her armoire she had begun painting his eyes, the deep black and terrifying shapes with a hint of playfulness in them. They reminded her of Jacob's eyes.

Laid across her deep red duvet cover was the shirt her mother had suggested, freshly washed and ironed, looking as if it had not been packed away in a box for the past two months. It smelled of the lavender laundry detergent that her mother loved, but was only allowed to use on their things; it had given her grandfather a rash. Dropping her towel she pulled the shirt over her head, careful not to mess up her hair. Next she slid on her most comfortable pair of underwear and black, footless tights. Examining her curvaceous figure in her mirror she adjusted the wooden broach that connected the halter to the rest of the shirt so it sat straight. Her mother had also laid out her Indian rhinestone bangles on Holly's desk atop all the paper and unfinished sketches. Holly slid them around her skinny wrist and picked out her roman styled sandals she had made for her during a family vacation to Italy the past summer, just before her father was murdered. Looking at herself one more time in the mirror she decided that lip-gloss was a bad idea, knowing herself all too well she figured that she would not be able to resist kissing Jacob the moment she saw him. She had never felt this way for anyone, let alone a boy. Every time he was around it was as if Holly's heartbeat ran so fast it eventually just stopped, letting herself melt into his arms. She had never felt so safe, so _secure_, when around anyone besides him. It was as if his monstrous and muscular arms blocked anything bad from touching her and it was a comforting feeling to know that he felt just as much for her. Almost so much that it was hard for her to understand.

Jacob arrived in front of Holly's house precisely at five wearing what Embry had instructed him to. He even ended up having to call Embry inquiring as to if he should wear his hair up or down. Embry said up and Jacob did as he was told. He waited in the car for a moment to collect his thoughts; all he needed to do was be himself. Jacob had been proud of his confidence around Holly; he wasn't going to let one night ruin everything. Realizing that he couldn't wait forever he got out of the Rabbit and went to the door. Before getting the chance to ring the doorbell Holly was in front of him as if she had been waiting for days. She flung her arms around his shoulders and Jacob pulled her the rest of the way into a tight embrace, her feet weren't even touching the ground. She let go seconds later and pulled the door shut behind her.

Holly was wearing exactly what Fran had told her to the night before, although Jacob wasn't sure what roman-style sandals looked like. The aqua color of her top went perfectly with her complexion and she was wearing make-up for the first time ever in front of Jacob.

"You look amazing." Jacob managed to say without scrambling his words. He was silently thanking Embry for telling him to bring a jacket; she was going to be cold, Jacob knew it.

"Thanks," Holly said smiling. "You don't look to bad either." Jacob led her to the car and even went so far as to open the door for her. Holly had never experienced this type of treatment besides from her father, she felt like a princess.

The drive to Port Angeles wasn't as long as Holly had remembered. She figured it was because her and Jacob had talked the whole time. Once they arrived, Jacob parked in a lot by where all the main shops rested. Opening the door for Holly again, he led her to a small Italian restaurant that he loved.

"Now, what I'm wondering is," Holly began, "How you knew that Italian was my favorite."

"Lucky guess." Jacob said, thanking whatever God there was for doing something right. "It's my favorite too."

The restaurant wasn't particularly large but it was generally full of people. Jacob knew that there was no need for a reservation though; September was quiet month for Port Angeles. They were seated quickly in a booth far away from everyone else and Jacob was glad.

"You didn't have to go out of your way to bring me here, Jake." Holly mused. "Honestly."

"You like it though," Jacob asked. "Don't you?"

"More than you might realize." Holly added.

"Then stop complaining." Jacob joked. Dinner was amazing, as per expected. Holly ordered spaghetti and meatballs, a classic choice, and Jacob had the Capiletti – his favorite. All throughout dinner they laughed and poked fun of each other, it was as if everything that had happened that day melted away the moment he picked her up that night. After insisting on paying, Jacob led Holly back out of the restaurant.

"So, what time do you have to be home?" Jacob asked, he didn't want to start off on a bad foot after hearing the conversation the night before.

"I don't have a curfew," Holly chuckled, "You can take me home whenever you so choose."

"Perfect." Jacob exclaimed, his plan had depended on what time she had to be home.

"Where are you taking me?" Holly asked, giggling, as they walked back to the car.

"You'll see." Jacob teased as he let Holly into the Rabbit. Driving down the road back towards La Push he pulled into a rivet at the side of the road, just hidden by three giant pine trees.

"Now he leads her into the woods to kill her." Holly mumbled to herself, Jacob looked at her in confusion. "Joking." Jacob laughed as he got out of the car and went around to her side to help her out.

"Alright, here." Jacob said, grabbing his jacket from the backseat. "You might get cold, it's a bit of a hike."

"Well, I didn't exactly dress appropriately did I?" Holly laughed as she looked down at her ensemble. She _thought _she had looked good as she slid the monstrous jacket around her shoulders; it was longer than her shirt by at least three inches.

"Oh don't worry. I'm not going to let you walk through that." Jacob said as he rummaged through his trunk.

"So are we taking a hover craft? ATV? What?" Holly said puzzled, trying to comprehend what Jacob was going to do and where they were going in the middle of the night, in a dark forest, just off the side of the highway.

"No, I'm going to carry you." Jacob smiled a toothy grin as he pulled out a large blanket and a sleeping bag from the trunk.

"Seriously?" Holly said, holding the jacket tight around her body.

"Seriously." Jacob assured. "Hop on." Jacob bent down on his knees and Holly climbed on his back. Standing back up effortlessly, Jacob carried Holly and the blankets into the pitch-black forest. The trees surrounded them like shadows on a canvas, there was little light and Holly could barely make out Jacob's face. She was in awe of the fact that carrying everything seemed like nothing to Jacob; Holly knew she wasn't fat but she didn't exactly weight ninety pounds, she had a lot of muscle.

"There is a flashlight in the inside pocket." Jacob said, breaking the silence. Holly felt around until she grasped it.

"Here." She said, flicking on the bright light. She shone the light in front of where Jacob was walking and realized there was no marked path, he was just stomping around randomly avoiding as many thorn bushes as he could. Holly felt a little nervous, "Do you know where you're going."

"Trust me." Jacob reassured. "It's only about ten more minutes." Sure enough, about ten minutes later, Holly noticed a break in the dense black shadows, almost like a recess in the side of the cliff. "Close your eyes." Jacob instructed and Holly did as she was told. "And no peeking."

Within seconds he put her down on a soft surface. Holly moved her feet a bit to determine what she was standing on, _sand_.

"Open your eyes." Jacob said and Holly obeyed. Opening her eyes gave her a bit of a shock; they were no longer surrounded by trees, but delicate, bright sand and a calm body of water and _sky_. Holly thought the stars on the beach were extravagant but this was _breathtaking_. Hundreds – no thousands – of starts illuminated a oil, black canvas stretched over her head.

"This is unbelievable Jake." Holly exclaimed, not retreating her eyes from the thousands of shimmering stars above her.

"I'm glad you like it." Jacob said finally, moving closer to her. Only when she felt his hands on her waist did she look down from the sky. Like before, he was inhumanly warm, boiling almost, and it took away Holly's shiver as if she had sat down in front of a crackling fire. Jacob bent down and kissed her soft lips, leaving her speechless. Once they parted, he swung Holly up into his arms and carried her to where he had laid out the sleeping bag. He placed her under the warm, woolen blanket decorated in native Quileute stories that was draped overtop. Holly hadn't noticed that he also had carried a pillow with him from the car. Jacob curled up beside her once he removed his shoes, bringing her instant heat. They laid like that for a few moments, savoring the closeness of each other. With a burning desire, Holly turned over to face Jacob. Not saying a word she placed her lips on Jacob's.

Kissing Holly was something that Jacob wanted to be doing all the time; the feeling that came along with it never subsided and never changed every time she would kiss him. Curled up under that blanket, Holly thought, was _perfect_.

"Holly," Jacob whispered, taking his lips away from hers. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything, Jake." Holly answered just as quiet; her eyes lost in his.

"It sounds so corny, but I've never met anyone like you," Jacob began; he felt his palms sweat and his heart began to race. "Since you showed up I forgot everything that happened with Bella, it was as if she had never existed, and I thought I would _never_ get over her." Holly watched Jacob intently as he spoke, her heart beating faster and faster. Hearing the pain in his voice when he said Bella's name was enough to send Holly over the edge. She promised herself that she would never be the cause of that, especially to him. "Which brings me to one last thing," Jacob spoke nervously, "Can we – I mean I – call you my…" His voice trailed off.

"Girlfriend?" Holly asked, finishing his sentence. Jacob nodded. "Under one condition."

"Anything." Jacob said.

"If I can tell people you're all mine." Holly smiled. With a surge of happiness Jacob pulled Holly on top of him into a tight embrace. After a few moments Holly slid down beside Jacob, his arms still wrapped tightly around her holding her close. Holly felt as if she wanted to drift off into a deep sleep at his side but she didn't want this night to end; she didn't want to waste the moment. A cold draft blew off the water but Holly barely felt it when she was pressed up against the human space heater. As long as Holly was in his arms, Jacob's worries seemed non-existent.

"Tomorrow, do you want to come over for dinner?" Holly asked Jacob in a low whisper. "With my family."

"Sure." Jacob agreed. He knew he had to meet them at some point. It seemed like hours until Jacob finally realized that he had to get Holly home at some point. Almost asleep at his side, Holly breathed slowly with her head plastered to Jacob's chest. "We should probably get going."

"Yeah, probably." She agreed groggily. "How long does it take to get back?"

"About twenty minutes," Jacob estimated. "It's about one thirty now." Holly stood up from the sleeping bag and stretched, a frigid gust of wind shook her body, making her shiver profusely. "Wrap up in the blanket." Jacob told Holly, "I'll carry you like that if you hold the sleeping bag."

"I can walk back." Holly said, wrapping the woolen blanket around her shoulders – it was still warm.

"Not a chance." Jacob said, rolling up the sleeping bag. He slipped his jacket over his shoulders and handed the sleeping bag and flashlight to Holly. "Come on."

"Fine." Holly gave in. Jacob flipped her up into his arms, looking as if it was easier than it should have been, and entered the forest. Holly poked out the flashlight and shone it along the path he had created earlier that night. The walk back to the car seemed to go by faster than the trek there. As soon as they reached the car, Holly was getting ready to jump down but Jacob, shockingly, balanced her weight in his one arm and opened the car door. Gently, he slipped her into the front seat and buckled her seat belt. "That was unreal."

"What was?" Jacob asked confused. He walked around to his side of the car before letting her answer.

"You just held me in one arm." Holly said sounding extremely surprised.

"You don't weigh that much." Jacob admitted, starting the engine.

"I weigh a good hundred-forty pounds." Holly said.

"Not even." Jacob commented, she did not look, or feel, like she weighed that much.

"How much do you want to bet?" Holly joked, "You're like Superman!"

"Well, I try." Jacob boasted sarcastically.

"And you are like a walking fireplace." Holly added.

"I know." Jacob acknowledged, trying not to say anymore about his unnatural habits and features.

"It's nice." Holly admitted. "I'm always frozen."

By the time they reached La Push, Holly had dozed off in the passenger seat wrapped in the giant blanket. Jacob drove cautiously to her house and gently shook her awake.

"You're home." Jacob said softly.

"Sorry, how long have I been asleep?" Holly asked rubbing her eyes. Her mascara rubbed off a bit on her cheek.

"Not long, fifteen minutes maybe." Jacob said, helping her out of the car. "You've got mascara on your cheek."

"Oh well." Holly chuckled, "It's coming off anyway." Jacob followed her up to her front door. All the lights were off in the house; it looked as if it had been abandoned. Jacob was hoping they didn't wake anyone.

"Tonight was _perfect_." Holly expressed, facing Jacob. She was standing on a step higher than him, bringing her face closer to his.

"I'm glad." Jacob admitted. "I was a little nervous about what you would think."

"Why?" Holly giggled.

"Well, being from a giant city I was sure you had already had some pretty good dates." Jacob informed her. "It's kind of hard to find inspiration in Port Angeles."

"Jake," Holly began, placing her arms around his shoulders. "This has been my best date ever."

"Honestly, you don't have to lie." Jacob said, hugging her back.

"I'm not." She whispered into his ear. "Nothing has ever compared to tonight." Holly stepped back, not releasing her arms, and kissed him fully on the lips.

"I'll see you tomorrow then?" Jacob asked as they parted. Holly nodded her head.

"Can't wait." She said.

"Neither can I." Jacob agreed. He watched her walk through the unlocked front door and she smiled as she closed it behind her. Jacob knew from that moment on, that everything had changed.


	15. Chapter 15

**_This story belongs to my best friend, not me._**

Anyway, the song they are singing is Me and Mr. Jones - Amy Winehouse. Even thought Steph is an amazing aurthor, she didn't write that song. :)

* * *

Holly locked the door behind her after being dropped off by Jacob, hoping not to wake either of her grandparents who, more than likely, expected her home by midnight. Tiptoeing through the kitchen she noticed that the light in the living room was on.

"Shit," she mumbled to herself, knowing that she was done for. Holly tried to avoid any confrontation by heading directly to her room with no intention of stopping until she heard a stern voice call out to her.

"Holly," Gordon Juturna called from the living room. "Can you come in here please?" Pausing for a second, Holly debated whether or not she should act sick and just go to the bathroom until he went to bed, but that would require giving him an answer as to why; and he would be the type of person to assume she had been drinking. She decided to face him head-on.

"Sure," she said, entering the large room. It was filled with furniture, but not over-crowded, and the only thing that looked modern was the giant plasma screen television that hung above the fireplace. The walls were decorated with old family photographs and Quileute tapestries and artwork. The ancient piano sat in the corner right beside the giant bay window that looked out on the front yard. It was a comfortable atmosphere with the exception of her scowling grandfather sitting in his chair; a cup of coffee was glued to his hand. "What's up?"

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Gordon said after a few moments in thought. Holly glanced at the clock sitting on the mantle.

"It's quarter-after-two," she said unfazed.

"In the morning," Gordon corrected.

"Yes," Holly agreed, "in the morning."

"Alright," Gordon set his cup down on the table beside him. "I've tried to be understanding of your upbringing and what you've been allowed to do in the past, but you make it almost impossible. There are a few rules that you need to follow when living under my roof."

"You're joking?" Holly asked. "Right?"

"Does it look like I'm trying to be funny here?" Gordon countered sternly. Holly remained irritably silent. "From now on, home by twelve."

"Excuse me?" Holly asked, clearly not amused.

"You need to tell me where you are going, who you are going to be with and no more of your beach nights. I'm sick of finding you asleep out there." Gordon meant business but Holly wasn't about ready to comply with the absurd terms he was spitting at her.

"First of all," Holly started, "I'm seventeen years old, and I have enough common sense and maturity to make my own decisions and discipline myself. Second of all, you have no right to tell me what to do, or set rules for me to follow, that's my mother's job and, if for some reason, you think that she is doing an inaccurate job then you can take that up with her. I listen to my mother, not my estranged grandfather. She knew where I was tonight, whom I was with and when I was going to be back and look at her, she's in bed. Why is she there, might you ask? Because she trusts me and raised me to make my own decisions, thank you very much."

"Don't you dare speak like that to me!" Gordon said, completely offended. "You don't know what you could get yourself into out there."

"What? A run in with the Mary-Jane? Mixed up with the wrong crowd? Getting brought home by the cops while almost getting criminally charged?" Holly asked, "Been there done that." Her grandfather stayed silent; he didn't know what to say, for once. "And if you think by falling asleep on the beach will turn me into some terrible kid, by all means, send me to a convent." By this point, Holly felt herself sweating. Without realizing how long he had been gone, Holly felt her phone vibrate in her pocket; it was a text message from Jacob. "Oh right, Jacob Black is coming for diner tomorrow."

"Says who?" Gordon asked sullenly. "I don't want that kid, or any of them as a matter of fact, near my house."

"Mom invited him," Holly informed her grandfather. "She even stood up for you and said you might understand. I was hoping she would be right."

"Your mother hasn't lived here for a long time," Gordon said.

"What does that mean?" Holly asked. "It doesn't change who he is, Grandpa, he's a good kid. You better get used to seeing him around because he's not going anywhere."

"You need to start showing me some respect!" Gordon shouted, jumping up from his seat. Despite his age, he was still well over six feet tall. "Your father did not teach you much now, did he?" Holly looked at her grandfather in disgust. She could hear the lights turn on in the background and the footsteps of her mother and grandmother scurry out into the living room.

"It's a two way street, Grandpa," Holly said. "You aren't my father, so don't try to be."

"Dad, leave her alone," Fran ordered from behind them. "I knew where she was."

"Stay out of this, Fran," Gordon fought.

"She's my daughter. I believe that I make the rules in regards to what she's allowed to do," Fran said just as sternly.

"I'm going to bed, I'm sick of this." Holly sulked on the way to her room. "So much for a perfect night." And with that, she shut her door.

"You need to use some discipline," Gordon told Fran. "You're letting the girl run wild for heaven's sake."

"If we are being that much of a burden to you, and if my parenting bothers you that much, Dad," Fran said, retreating back to the comfort of her bed, "we'll find our own accommodations."

Jacob sat wide-awake in his bed until Holly replied to his text message. 'I wish I was there with you.' Was all it said.

'Soon enough we will be. Don't worry. Sweet dreams.' He replied. After waiting for a few moments for another text, Jacob fell sound asleep. Holly, however, was far from slumber. Her pang of anger had not subsided even when Ty walked into her room, wagging his tale carelessly, and began licking her face. Holly hated being angry.

Ever since her father's murder Holly had reacted strangely to anger. She would feel her skin burning as her blood boiled beneath it. It would take all her strength and a good long run to cool her down. Holly had never been one to stay angry for an extensive period of time but it seemed like lately her irritation and fury would be harder to subside. The runs would take hours, every tantrum she had would lead to a longer run. Confusion struck her often, but she always blamed it on stress and the incoherence of her father's murder. At around five in the morning Holly controlled herself enough to lie down on her bed and doze off into a restless slumber.

At the crack of dawn the glistening line of sunlight poured through Jacob's uncovered window. Sitting upright and rubbing his eyes, he read the time on his alarm clock.

"5:30?" Jacob complained aloud; he knew there was no possibility of getting back to sleep. He could hear Billy in the kitchen so he decided to go make some breakfast. The kitchen was bright with the same orange glisten that had flooded Jacob's room; revealing the harsh chips on the counter and the faded color of the room. Nothing had changed since Jacob's mother passed away. "Morning," Jacob greeted Billy with a yawn.

"It's nice to have company in the mornings now," Billy joked, flashing Jacob a warm smile. "So tell me, how was the big date?" Jacob knew it was only a matter of minutes until his father brought it up.

"It went well," Jacob informed. "Better than I could have ever expected."

"Good, I'm glad," Billy congratulated. "It makes me happy seeing you with Holly. She's a nice kid."

"I know," Jacob agreed not expecting what came out of Billy's mouth next.

"Your mother would be extremely happy if she saw you two together." Jacob stood silently for a moment, almost dropping the box of Apple Jacks he was holding. Billy had never referred to his mother that way before; in fact, he rarely talked about her at all, just a quick mention now and then. Never once could Jacob remember an instant where Billy referred to his mother's feelings.

"Really?" Jacob managed to say. Billy nodded his head.

"She would have probably been planning the wedding already," he joked. Jacob laughed. Together they sat, chatting casually over their breakfast. After Jacob finished showering and getting dressed he wandered out onto the beach. Taking a seat on the very piece of driftwood that held an uncanny swarm of memories he replayed the night before in his head. The beach, lying under the stars, holding her in his arms, giving her his jacket – he'd have to thank Embry for his suggestion, and her kiss. Kissing Holly was unlike anything he had ever experienced and whenever he let his mind wander, that's all Jacob would settle upon. He couldn't have dreamed for the date to go any better, she was his girlfriend now; he could officially call Holly his own. He could protect her and never have to worry about anyone breaking her heart, because even Jacob knew, he would never break it. They belonged to each other and that was all Jacob had ever wanted. The morning flew by and before Jacob knew it, he was on his way to Holly's house for dinner. As nervous as he was the longing sensation he had to be near her again made him forget all about it.

Holly paced back and forth in her kitchen, counting down the minutes until he would arrive. She knew Jacob would never be late; he'd be early if anything. Fran stood in front of the stove, stirring a pot of pasta, while her grandmother, Loreen, checked on the roasting chicken through the oven window.

"I'm starving," Loreen exclaimed, pulling herself up from her crouch, stretching out her joints. Holly loved the sweet, song-like sound of her grandmother's voice, which was so unlike her grandfather's tenor-sounding growl. Holly's iPod played in the background as the three woman prepared dinner. The jazzy-sounding melody was contagious as the raspy voice of Amy Winehouse downed the kitchen. Her grandmother tapped her foot to the music and her mother hummed quietly, concentrating on not overcooking her pasta.

Jacob arrived at the Juturna's house just on time. As he pulled into the driveway he noticed Gordon Juturna peering out the large bay window. Jacob breathed heavily and got out of the car. Before he had the chance to ring the doorbell, Gordon opened it. His face was strong and emotionless as he studied the teenage boy standing in front of him. Gordon carefully regarded Jacob's irregular height and build and nodded his head slightly. Jacob was sure of his suspicions.

"Sir," Jacob greeted. For a moment Gordon stood motionless making Jacob nervous, was he even going to let him in? After a second Gordon stepped back and welcomed Jacob into the house.

"Jacob Black," Gordon acknowledged sternly from behind Jacob. "You've grown up quite a bit."

"Yes, sir, it's been a while," Jacob chuckled as he removed his shoes.

"Their in the kitchen," Gordon said leading Jacob through the living room and under a decoratively carved archway. The kitchen was large and the Formica countertops sat atop oak-stained cupboards. A large window sat over the sink and the appliances looked generally new. The walls were painted a forest green and the hardwood flooring matched the cupboards. The room seemed slightly familiar but Jacob couldn't recall ever being in their house before.

"Nobody stands in between me and my man," Fran sang from over the stove in a deep, jazzy voice. It was remarkable, she sounded identical to the voice coming from the iPod dock. "It's me and Mr. Jones."

"Me and Mr. Jones." Holly and Loreen sang in sync following Fran. Jacob smiled; their voices were very similar. Then it was Holly's turn.

"What kind of fuck is this? You made me miss the Slick Rick gig," Holly belted out, her voice lighter than Fran's, but more in tune. Jacob had never heard her sing before. She was unbelievable good.

"Oh, Slick Rick," Loreen and Fran echoed together. They were dancing now, swinging each other around the kitchen effortlessly, like it was a regular occurrence. Jacob stood watching them in awe with a giant smile glued to his face. He couldn't take his eyes off her. Holly's hair was swishing around her face like there was a current of wind flowing through the kitchen.

"I thought I didn't love you when I did," She continued to sing aloud. Holly had Jacob mesmerized. "I can't believe you played me out like that." She noticed Jacob standing in the doorway then. Holly spun her way over to where he was standing and pulled him into her grasp.

"No you ain't worth guest list," Fran took over, "Plus one of all them girls you kissed. You can't keep lying to yourself like this." Holly pulled Jacob into the middle of the kitchen and, while still holding his hands, began dancing and swaying her hips to the upbeat, jazz melody.

"I don't dance," Jacob admitted chuckling.

"You do now," Holly said.

"You're a liar," Loreen spoke over the music. "Your mother used to dance with you when you were a baby. It's in your blood, boy."

"Well let's see what you've got then," Holly mused, standing still. Loreen was right, which left Jacob dumbfounded. That was the one thing he remembered vividly about his mother; how she would dance with him. Even when he was small he still managed to keep up with her. Jacob took a deep breath and wrapped one arm around the small of Holly's back and took her hand. He did know how to dance. Jacob spun her smoothly around the kitchen not turning from her eyes once. Together they twirled and moved to the sounds of Fran and Loreen's voices. Holly even took over for another verse while they were dancing. The room was filled with spirit and warmth, and even for a moment, Jacob thought he saw Gordon smiling out of the corner of his eye but when the song ended the stern cross returned to his face.

Jacob let go of Holly when the song changed. "I guess I do dance, a little."

Holly just smiled.

Dinner was delicious and it was hard for Jacob to control what he ate. He had to be careful not to eat too much, which was a shame considering his taste buds were still watering after his second helping of everything.

"Holy appetite," Fran joked, clearing the table.

"Yeah he eats a lot," Holly joked. "It's almost unhealthy." Jacob shrugged his shoulders a little embarrassed.

"It's normal for a kid his size." Gordon spoke for the first time. "When I was that young I could eat a fridge full of food."

"Oh Christ, I remember that." Loreen rolled her eyes, getting up from the table. "I used to have to go to the grocery store everyday. It was almost unbearable!" Gordon continued to watch Jacob intently, making him a little nervous. He regarded every move that Jacob made. Jacob feared that he knew; he was almost sure that Gordon had realized he'd made the change. After dinner the women sat back down at the table.

"I think it's time," Loreen regarded, wiping a few remaining crumbs off the table. Holly giggled and reached behind her where a small set of drawers sat. Out she pulled a deck of cards and a special score sheet.  
"Have you ever played Wizard, Jacob?" Holly asked slyly as she began shuffling the cards.

"Can't say that I have, Hol'," Jacob admitted. The game was easy to pick up, but he ended up getting beat in the end. It was somewhat like Euchre but required different strategy. Holly and Gordon were at war throughout the whole game; they both would end up with very lucky hands and battle it out. On the last hand Gordon was dealt all four Wizard cards and defeated them all, leaving Holly sulking.

"Alright, I'm done with you people," Holly joked, standing up from the table. "Let's go, Jacob."

"Okay," He said, following her out of the kitchen. "Thank you for dinner!"

"Anytime, Jake!" Loreen and Fran called out in sync. Jacob followed Holly down the hallway towards her room. Walking through the door plastered with magazine cutouts and drawings, they entered her room. Jacob was overwhelmed by the amount of artwork hanging everywhere. Photographs and sketches were pinned to the walls that had been uniquely painted. His attention was drawn to the dozens of rough sketches of a wolf, but not just any wolf. It was Jacob. She drew the shape of his face perfectly; it looked as if he was staring into a mirror. The similarity was so shocking Jacob found himself glancing down at his hands to make sure he hadn't transformed and really was staring at himself.

"Isn't it gorgeous?" Holly noted Jacob looking at the sketches as she closed the door. "I can't get over it."

"Legendary," Jacob said, smug that she wasn't anywhere near daunted of the giant creature. Instead she found it beautiful. Holly stood beside Jacob, regarding the detail in her drawings. She was always drawn to the creature's eyes. She looked back at Jacob a second later and noticed that his eyes were similar. She felt her own eyes dart back and fourth from the drawing to Jacob, the similarity was extremely evident. Holly didn't know what to think. "What?" Jacob asked, realizing she was staring at him.

"N-Nothing." She faltered. She paced over to her vanity and took off her jewelry. Next she shrugged into a sweater that fell just above her knees. Jacob watched her movements carefully. He watched her brush the hair that fell over her shoulders. He jumped when he saw her go rigid at the sound of heavy footsteps coming down the hall. Jacob then heard the door suddenly open.

"Keep it open, Holly," Gordon grunted angrily. "Don't test me."

"Fuck off," Holly mumbled illegibly under her breath. Seconds later the door was closed again, much to Jacob's surprise, by Fran.

"Don't worry about it, Holly," She said as she slid it closed. Jacob noticed Holly digging her fingernails into her palms. Her whole body was shaking with anger.

"Holly," Jacob whispered as he walked towards her. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind her and held her tightly. He could feel her easing up a little but she was still tense. "Calm down." Jacob took her hands in his and her fingers relaxed a bit.

"Shit," She complained as a sharp, metallic scent filled Jacob's nose. He looked down at her palms; blood flowing freely from little crescent shaped cuts made by her fingernails.

"Woah," Jacob muttered. "Easy." He grabbed a Kleenex from her bedside table and dampened it with his tongue. He cautiously wiped away the blood streaming from the cuts.

"Sorry," Holly sniffled. Within seconds the blood stopped. "He irritates me so much sometimes."

"I'd say," Jacob agreed, looking at the cuts one more time. He dragged her up into his arms and carried her as if she were a baby to her bed. Jacob lied down beside her and she curled up in his arms, burying her face in his chest. It wasn't until a few moments later when Jacob realized what was happening.

Holly was showing all the obvious signs; Jacob felt uneasy at the fact he didn't notice it sooner. Her ability to almost outrun most of the pack as humans, her out-of-control tantrums, and the attraction rather than fear she had towards the species were all evident once Jacob realized. She carried the gene and something had made it react. The Cullen's were gone which made Jacob uneasy; he had no idea what would have started it. He would have to talk to Billy if he wanted an answer; Holly would have no idea what was going on. Jacob was positive she did not know the full truth to the werewolves.

At around eleven, Fran knocked at Holly's bedroom door.

"Who is it?" Holly groaned.

"Mom. Can I come in?" Her voice pleaded from the other side of the door.

"Sure. As long as no one else is with you." Fran walked through the door and closed it gingerly behind her. She took a seat at the edge of the bed, not phased by Jacob's heavy arms wrapped tightly around Holly. "Why is he such a jerk?"

"He's just not used to you, Holly. The freedom I give you is not the freedom he thinks you deserve," Fran admitted. "He thinks it's changed a lot from when I was a kid, he doesn't believe you should be allowed to run 'wild'." She accentuated her voice on the 'wild'.

"But-"

"Let me deal with him. Don't even pay attention to the fact he's there." Fran cut her off. Jacob was surprised at Fran taking Holly's side. He then realized there was more to their relationship than he thought. Holly nodded her head in understanding, she wasn't going to argue with her mother – without her, Holly would have driven herself crazy by now.

"So, Jacob," Fran changed the topic, "how's your father? I haven't found time to get in touch."

"He's alright, I guess," Jacob said, twirling a strand of Holly's hair in his fingers. "He's in a wheelchair now though."

"Really?" Fran asked, astounded. "What happened?"

"His arthritis," Jacob explained. "About two years ago it became impossible for him to walk. His bottom half is almost entirely crippled. He can only move his feet a bit."

"That's terrible. I'm going to have to visit him; it's been far too long." Fran said, covering her mouth with the back of her copper toned hand.

"He was asking about you when I was over there," Holly added.

"I can't believe how much things have changed since we were here last, Holly," Fran exclaimed, looking right at Jacob. A lump formed in the base of his throat, making it incredibly hard to swallow. He couldn't comprehend what the look meant but he thought he noticed a fragment of fear protruding from her expression.


	16. Chapter 16

This is not my story! I am simply posting it for my best friend! All credit goes to her.

Just so everyone knows, the author would liek me to inform you that this takes place before Breaking Dawn, but Bella is already a vampire, and that more of Breaking Dawn will be incorporated with the exception of Renesmee.

* * *

Both Holly and Jacob found themselves on cloud nine. Being together was effortless, there was never a time when they didn't want to be in each other's presence. When they weren't with each other, they were thinking of each other; it was as if they were a secret entity in each other's soul. Time flew past them as the warm summer nights turned to sights of falling leaves and harsh autumn winds. Every week would be the same, Holly and Jacob would find themselves at Embry's house playing Rock Band, raking leaves for Billy, and having study sessions where Holly would have her full attention paid to her keyboard while Jacob found himself getting ahead on his homework; he didn't want to distract her but he needed to keep himself busy, it was as if she had completely turned his life around. On weekends they would be at each other's house for dinner, taking day trips to Port Angeles and staying up until late at night watching movie after movie together. No matter what they did, it was never boring.

It had been a regular Friday, Jacob felt as if his classes were twice as long as he waited anxiously for the weekend. After the bell sounded at the end of the day Jacob raced to the locker where he found Holly dumping her books from her bag.

"No homework!" She exclaimed, "It's a miracle."

"I don't have any either." Jacob said excitedly. "Are you still coming over for dinner tonight?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Holly joked as she pulled on her neon-rainbow mittens and wrapped her matching scarf around her neck.

"Just making sure." Jacob smiled. "If you put anymore clothing on I don't think you'll be able to move."

"I'm freezing," Holly shivered. "I hate the cold." She shrugged into her wine-coloured pea coat and buttoned it up.

"You look adorable today." Jacob commented on Holly's ensemble. She was wearing a grey knitted dress that landed just above her knees with a pair of black tights and her tall chocolate-coloured Ugg boots that never left her feet. Holly's clothing never ceased to disinterest Jacob or anyone around her for that matter. It was obvious she had not grown up in La Push.

"You don't look to shabby yourself." Holly agreed, closing the locker behind her. "Besides the fact you make me cold just by looking at you." Jacob could have been in a t-shirt and shorts but the odd glances weren't worth it.

"I'm toasty warm." Jacob smiled wide. "Maybe I should start wearing a jacket though. Walking next to you all bundled up in just a sweater looks a little weird." He took her shoulder bag and slung it over his body. She stood up on her tiptoes and jumped to peck Jacob on his cheek. Together they walked out to Holly's car and she immediately cranked the heat. Jacob felt himself beginning to sweat even before they left the parking lot.

"There is something wrong with you, Jake." Holly accused as she noticed a bead of sweat running down Jacob's temple. Jacob wiped it away with his sleeve.

"No, there isn't." Jacob argued. "It's just not natural to keep the car at muffin-baking temperature." He was thankful when she pulled into Jacob's driveway. Before he knew it, Holly had raced from the car and right through the front door to avoid being in the cold. Jacob saw the door close behind her and the little horn sound as she locked her car from inside the house. Jacob chuckled.

"Hey Dad." Jacob acknowledged as he walked into the house.

"Jake, Holly." Billy assumed from in front of the television. There was an awful static coming from the one speaker on the back of the wooden box.

"I think it's about time you replaced that television, Billy," Holly commented, "It's probably older than the majority of coffins in the cemetery."

"Yeah, I think I might have to soon." Billy agreed, stopping Jacob dead in his tracks.

"What?" Jacob screeched. "I've been telling you for the past two years we need a new one!"

"I only listen to the opinions of women." Billy explained. "Sorry, Jake." Jacob sighed heavily and continued to the kitchen where Holly had the bread and peanut butter out. After making one sandwich for herself and three for Jacob, they followed the hallway down into Jacob's bedroom. Holly tip-toed through the mounds of clothing and junk that littered the floor and collapsed daintily onto the bed, careful not to tip the plate that held the sandwiches. Jacob flipped on the ancient stereo and August Burns Red began playing quietly in the background. Holly had burned a dozen CDs for Jacob, putting his dusty stereo to good use.

"What are we having for dinner tonight?" Holly asked, taking a bite from her sandwich. Jacob finished his first sandwich before he answered.

"Not sure, probably fish."

"Salmon, probably smoked. I saw some in the fridge." Holly guessed.

They would spend hours at a time in Jacob's room talking, laughing, and, their favourite activity, sleeping. Holly would sometimes doodle while Jacob listened to music and rubbed her feet, something she loved more than anything. Jacob had cleared out a drawer in one of his dressers and devoted it to Holly's things. Articles of clothing, obscure CDs, nail polish, sketching pencils, hair clips and jewelry that had littered Jacob's room were thrown into the drawer. Jacob loved finding Holly's little belongings everywhere; it helped Jacob miss her less when she wasn't around, which wasn't very often.

Together they laid on Jacob's bed, Holly resting her head on his chest, listening to music. It wasn't until they heard Billy speak from the living room that either of them said a word.

"Someone's here." Jacob told Holly, getting up from the bed. Holly followed.

"Charlie!" Jacob heard Billy exclaim from the front room. "I didn't know you were going to stop by!"

"You get to meet Charlie." Jacob whispered to Holly. She had heard a lot about the man and knew very well that he was basically a member of the family. He seemed nice from what Billy and Jacob had said about him. As Jacob emerged from the hallway he stopped dead in his tracks in front of Holly, making her jolt backward after running into him.

"Hey, Jake." An angelic, almost holy, sounding voice called from the front doorway.

"Bella." Jacob said. A mix of shock, disappointment and anger seeped through his tone. Holly stood up to peek over his shoulder at the sound of her name. Bella was, to say the least, beautiful. She had long chestnut brown hair that fell into soft ringlets that framed her torso and face. Her skin looked smooth, yet that of porcelain, and her complexion was drained of all colour; she resembled a china doll more than a human. Holly felt her stomach turn just looking at her.

'Wonderful,' Holly thought to herself. 'There is no way I can ever compare to this chick.'

Jacob didn't proceed any further which threw Holly off guard. It was almost as if he was shielding her; it was as if she was in some kind of danger. She continued to peek over his shoulder and watched as Bella moved forward. Graceful was an understatement when describing the way this girl moved. She looked like she was, literally, floating across the linoleum tile towards Jacob. Her motion was soundless, making her seem even more surreal. Holly felt ill at ease when she regarded a cautious look stretch across Billy's face from the other side of the room as she moved closer to her.

"It's been a while," She finally said, the voice did not falter.

"Yeah." Jacob said cautiously. "It has."

"Jake," Billy called, "You've got someone you need to introduce." It was obvious he was trying exceptionally hard to be polite. Jake turned his head towards Holly, not breaking his shield, and reached an arm around the small of her back. Holly stepped forward slowly and smiled at Charlie.

"Charlie," Jacob began, "This is Holly." He purposely ignored Bella; he wanted her nowhere near Holly.

"It's nice to finally meet you." Holly echoed after, stepping towards Charlie, holding out her hand. Charlie took it graciously.

"Ah!" Charlie spoke with a wide smile. "Pleasures all mine!" Holly liked Charlie instantaneously, unlike Bella; he had a warm and genuine complexion and looked, well, normal. She finally put to and to together and realized that Bella was Charlie's daughter, there was some resemblance in their features, but Bella's were almost surreal. From Charlie's smile she knew he liked her just as much.

"I guess we are going to have to get some more fish out, Billy." Holly noted, glancing down at him.

"I guess so." Billy agreed.

"Oh no," Charlie protested, "Don't go out of your way to do that, we just stopped by."

"Oh, please." Holly rolled her eyes. "It's no trouble." Jacob stood wary of the situation, Holly had invited Charlie to stay for dinner, but with Charlie, came the leech; the leech that was standing three feet away from him and was staring at him for an unnaturally long time. "Jake, can you go get two more pieces of fish out of the freezer please?" Holly's voice broke his concentration, it always did.

"I've already eaten." Bella informed Jake. "But thank you." It was as if she completely disregarded Holly's presence.

"Of course." Jacob mumbled sarcastically as he turned away from Bella. From his tone Holly found he had expected that sort of response; leaving her confused. "B-but, I'm not sure which one to take out. Holly?" Jacob stalled, trying to find an excuse to keep Holly with him. The last thing he was about to do was leave Holly alone, in the same room as Bella; he wasn't even sure if that's what he should call her anymore.

"Sure." She seemed completely unfazed by the tension that was seeping through the paneling on the living room walls. Either she was oblivious or was trying very hard to avoid it. No matter the case, Holly was acting as the buffer. She followed him to the garage where the giant freezer laid just on the other side of Jacob's rusted Rabbit.

"Are you alright?" Holly asked, knowing there was something incredibly wrong.

"No," Jacob admitted. "I don't know why she's here."

"She's…" Jacob heard Holly's voice trail off. She was speechless. Jacob dropped the lid of the freezer without getting the fish and threw his arms around Holly's body.

"Don't." Was all he had to say. He took her chin in his hand and tilted up towards his face. "She's nothing compared to you." Holly blushed, but at the same time, it was hard to believe him. Bella was incredible, and Holly just wasn't. Jacob wished he could tell her everything right then and there and then run far away with her on his back to a place where they didn't have to ever worry about running into one of those dreadful creatures. The danger Bella caused was indisputable; why did she have to come back?

"We should go back." Holly whispered, taking the fish out of the freezer herself.

"Holly, please." Jacob plead, taking her free hand. "She's nothing."

"I don't doubt you Jacob, it's impossible for me to do that." Holly smiled. She kissed the edge of his chin and walked back through the muddy pathway to the house. Jacob followed. Inside, Billy and Charlie already settled into the living room, Charlie had his feet up and sitting in one of the recliners and Billy had gotten himself into his Lazy Boy. The basketball game was on and they were chatting casually. Bella sat awkwardly on the couch, not sure what to do with herself. She turned her head slightly as Jacob and Holly came back into the kitchen. Holly paid no mind to her and began marinating the fish for Charlie. Holly was an amazing cook, just like the rest of the women in her family. Food had always been the center of her life at home. She cooked the majority of the meals at Jacob's house whenever they were there, she liked to make it as easy as possible for Billy; and as much as he protested, he enjoyed having the help sometimes. Jacob was as useless in the kitchen as a dog without its hind legs. He just sat back and watched as Holly spun herself around the kitchen stirring, checking on things that were cooking, chopping vegetables, throwing ingredients into a pot without a recipe, and complaining about not having enough of something. He stood closer than usual as she retrieved the rest of the fish from the fridge. She felt him grow rigid at her side as she put the fish in the oven.

"Jake, can I talk to you?" Bella asked. Jacob said nothing; he glanced at Holly. Holly nodded her head.

"I don't need anymore help." Holly said quietly, trying to not expose the fact she was uneasy about Bella. Jacob hesitantly moved away from Holly and outside with Bella. The next few moments were awkward; they just walked slowly onto the beach. He could tell it was hard for her to keep up with his slow pace. For a moment, he enjoyed watching her struggle.

"She seems nice." Bella said finally. Jacob winced as if she had slapped him across the face.

"Bella-."

"No, really, Jake." Bella cut him off. She was facing him now, her stench billowing from her pores. Jacob had to hold his breath. "She seems perfect." She looked away. Jacob knew what she was getting at; she missed him. She wanted him all to herself again. Jacob didn't understand how she could be so selfish; she wanted everyone.

"What do you want, Bella?" Jacob spat out, unable to hold back any longer. He felt hot tears on the verge of spilling. "What could you possibly want? Do you want to make my life miserable? Do you honestly? Because if that's the case, just being here does the trick. And for that matter, why are you here?" Bella stood unnaturally motionless.

"I just wanted to see how you were." She admitted, her face frozen into an emotionless glare.

"Well I'm finally fucking happy." Jacob lashed out. Bella stood examining Jacob's face. She was quiet for a few minutes.

"You didn't." Her hand flew to her mouth. Jacob shrugged his shoulders; he didn't care how much this hurt her, he didn't care if it ate her from the inside out. Finally he was able to make her feel a fraction of what he felt after she left. "You've imprinted on that girl, haven't you." Her voice turned accusing; brutality was a main component of her realization.

"She doesn't go by 'that girl', Bella!" He spat at her name as if it were a bug that flew into his mouth. "Her name is Holly. Jealousy is not flattering." Bella looked as if a piece of her marble surface had been chiseled off. This made Jacob smile. "Now you know how it feels."

"I'm - I'm so sorry." Bella apologized, as if that could have made all the difference.

"Sorry, Bells, not going to change anything. You're just going to have to deal with not getting your way for once." His anger slowly dispersed and almost left his body entirely. He found this hysterical, the fact that, for once, Isabella Swan was getting a taste. He thrived off of the situation. "You'd like her; she's unlike anyone I've ever met." Jacob said, twisting the knife a little more. Bella glowered at him and with that he turned and waltzed back into the house.

Back inside, Holly was setting a giant tray of loaded nachos on the table in between Billy and Charlie's chairs. They both had cold beers in their hands and giant smiles on their faces.

"Holly, you've outdone yourself!" Charlie exclaimed as he took a giant chunk of nachos loaded with cheese, beans, peppers, olives, tomatoes and salsa on a plate she had handed him. "These are unbelievable. Bella you've got to try some."

"No thanks." She declined politely while still sulking. She took a seat on the couch again where she remained almost motionless until Holly was putting dinner on the table. Jacob couldn't shake the giant smile he had on his face making Holly feel a bit better. At least he wasn't glowering at her presence; she seemed generally harmless. It wasn't until they sat down to eat that Holly's opinion changed drastically. Bella took the seat next to Holly before she had served the food to everyone. Within two minutes of sitting next to Bella, Holly began to feel her limbs tremble, almost as if she had just gotten into a fight with her grandfather; but she wasn't angry. A harsh stench wafted casually into her nose, making her nauseous. Jacob noticed her discomfort.

"Are you alright?" He asked quietly under Billy and Charlie's conversation.  
"Yeah," Holly answered, "Just excuse me for a moment." Holly got up from the table and walked to the bathroom. Billy glanced at Jacob with a look of concern, but tried to shake it off. He continued to talk with Charlie casually. Jacob grew more and more anxious, not even noticing that Bella was just as nervous. What was wrong with her?

Holly was asking herself the same question as she gripped the porcelain sink tightly. She watched as her nerves and veins began protruding from her wrists and arms. She could feel her blood begin to boil, leaving her shaking and sweating. She didn't want to leave the bathroom for fear of feeling worse. Having that thing near her only brought this on even stronger than ever before. Holly could feel tears stinging her cheeks as she tried to make it stop. She couldn't release her grip on the sick and felt dust crumble from her fingertips. Was she really holding on that tightly? Holly couldn't comprehend what was happening to her. Fear took over every sense in her body.

Jacob could barely sit still. It felt like hours but she was only gone for a few moments. He noticed her being agitated but couldn't comprehend what was wrong. Billy constantly glanced at the doorway to the bathroom, waiting for some sign of Holly being okay without worrying Charlie. They were lucky he was as oblivious as he was. Billy knew something was wrong just as much as Jacob did and was flipping through ideas in his mind to get Charlie out of the house.

"Do you want to drive up to see Sue? I haven't been there in ages." Billy lied, he had been there last week, but he knew that Charlie would be very optimistic about that plan and wouldn't question him.

"Sure, it's been a while since I've seen her." Charlie agreed. He glanced at Bella and she answered before he could say a word.

"I'll stay here. I'll get Edward to pick me up." Jacob winced at his name. Within ten minutes Billy was loaded into Charlie's Police cruiser and they were off to the Clearwater's.

"You need to leave." Jacob said as soon as she closed the front door.

"Well that's being a good host, Jake, haven't you learned anything from –…" She was unable to finish her sentence. Holly had reappeared in the kitchen looking a bit tired and discomforted, as she did before she left the table.

"You alright?" Jacob's full attention was paid towards Holly. Bella rolled her eyes.

"Yeah," She answered, stabling herself with the chair. "Where's Billy and Charlie?"

"They went up to see Sue. You sure you are all right? You look sick." Jacob asked concerned.

"Jake, I'm fine." She answered with a chuckle pushed out to make him feel better. He didn't buy it. She began clearing the plates of the table and placed them gingerly in the sink. She flipped on the hot water and watched the sink fill with foam. Calmly, she began scrubbing the plates one by one. Jacob walked slowly around her, helping as much as he could. Bella, feeling helpless, found herself at Holly's side ready to rinse the dishes she was washing. As soon as she held out her hand, the scene was chaos.

The plate in Holly's hands was crushed to tiny pieces and her head flung to face Bella, an expression of sheer horror, excruciating pain and fear flodded Jacob's vision. Holly, not sure how she was able to move, stumbled outside through the side door. Jacob ran after her and stopped at the sight of Holly curling over on the ground. She was clutching her arms and wailing in pain.

"What is she, Jacob? Tell me!" Holly screeched as her blood boiled so fast it was visible under her skin. Jacob stood motionless, petrified. Bella appeared next to Jake, horror filled her face too, but it was different. Seeing her sent Holly even more over the edge. She felt her clothing tear away and her skin tear back as if she was being ripped apart by a pack of starving lions. She felt sharp edges emerge from her fingertips. Her pores expanded painfully and little hairs grew repulsively fast from them. Jacob's vision was a blur, one second he was watching Holly curl painfully on the grown, useless to help her and next she saw a tornado of fur explode out of nowhere and a gloriously beautiful snow, white wolf emerged from Holly's body. Within seconds she was gone. Jacob didn't hesitate any longer, he phased, unable to grasp what he had just saw, and flew onto the beach after her leaving Bella standing in shock behind him.


	17. Chapter 17

Jacob's sudden phase shook the minds of the patrol. Within seconds Quil and Sam were at his side, flying through the forest at record speed. Jacob felt numb; he had lost sight of Holly completely; he was no match to her excruciatingly rapid speed. Sam let out a call for all members of the pack and within the minute Seth, Leah, Embry, Jared and Paul were in sight. Jacob couldn't stop to explain to the rest of the pack the past hour and stubbornly ran himself further into the forest. He had to find her before something unbearable happened; phasing for the first time is a terrifying experience and erased all logic and instinct in one's mind. He couldn't even hear her footsteps; making himself panic even more. There was no trace of disturbance on the even ground. Jacob felt ill at ease at no presence of movement.

As he ran further into the thick of the forest that lined the reserve he began to piece together how this happened. Of course, she was a direct descendant of the Quileute tribe; that was the first clue. Jacob slowly began to remember little things he had noticed but never understood. Everything from the cut on her cheek when he first met her that disappeared within hours, her wicked speed and strength even as a human, her fearless attitude, her bursts of anger; it all made sense. Then, when Bella showed up, it triggered her sense, which made her phase. Jacob had never seen someone phase while in that much agony before. He had to find her before it was too late.

Holly flew through the dark shadows that surrounded her; she couldn't even tell if they were trees or not. She felt as if her feet were hovering over the ground she was moving so quickly. Rushes of something she couldn't call anything else but adrenaline, although they were much stronger, came in frequent blasts that shook her body. She couldn't bear to look at her feet, or paws now. She didn't understand.

Holly had always had some idea in regards to the Quileute legends, but she had always thought they were old folk tales; something to tell around a bonfire, but now all sense of reality had disappeared. There was no logic, mythical creatures were just stories, a figment of the imagination, it was as if her entire life had become a lie. Her grandfather obviously had known what was happening, he would have witnessed his father make the change into a… she couldn't bring herself to think of what she was. To think that, all this time, she had been left in the dark and lied to by her own family; all her pain was magnified significantly after this realization. She couldn't stop to take a breath; not like she had to. She was running faster than she ever dreamt possible. All those nights craving the feeling of the forest on her feet, wishing she could see the trees fly by her like blurs of colour and shadow with no perspective and the feeling of indestructibility were all being fulfilled. The moment was infinite with a full spectrum of emotion.

Eventually she slowed to a moderate pace; even so, she was still moving unrealistically fast, but then again, she was defying all odds already. She could hear the sounds of the forest, the sounds of animals sleeping, rushing water of a nearby river, the wings of birds fluttering gracefully in the night sky. Everything seemed so calm, relaxing even, until she heard a faint footstep in the distance. Although it was far away, she could hear the weight of each step pound into the earth that seemed to be closing in on her. Nothing held her back from changing direction and running as fast as she could until there were no more footsteps.

Hope crammed its way into Jacob's mind as he began to hear Holly's graceful, yet fast, footsteps in front of him. Then hearing them slow made Jacob run faster. Within moments, the footsteps were gone; he figured she had heard him coming and took off again. Jacob winced out a painful howl and continued through the forest.

Holly stopped dead in her tracks at the sound of the shrieking howl behind her. Although it she felt a pang of fear, she recognized the sound. It was the only thing that brought back to her any sense of reality. Pausing for a moment, she regarded her surroundings. It appeared as if she were in a small clearing, although trees still circled around her. The sky was pitch black and not a single star could be spotted, unlike the night she spent with Jacob on the beach.

"_Jacob."_ Holly winced. _"Jacob, help." _

Jacob ran faster through the forest, he had found somewhat of a trace of movement on the moss-covered ground beneath him. He couldn't feel himself in contact with the rest of the pack; it was as if he had lost all ability to think.

"_Holly."_ Was all he could make out in his mind.

He continued on searching, slowly losing hope, but he knew that he would never give up until he found her. A rumble in the clouds above surfaced a sharp chill was brisk in the air around him. All of a sudden Jacob heard a shudder in his mind. There was no possible way it came from anyone in the pack; it was too close and he had lost everyone hours ago. It was the first sign that Holly was still alive Jacob had heard in ages it seemed. He ran quicker towards what looked like a small clearing, although it was hard to make out in the darkness. Disappointment flooded his mind as he entered the clearing only to find it empty.

"_Hol-" _Jacob was cut off by a terrified howl. The sound was bloodcurdling as Jacob realized where it came from. A piece of white fur poked out from behind a large willow tree that was beginning to lose its leaves.

She could hear his voice, the voice of the creature that had been following her. She couldn't bring herself to look at it; she didn't want to know what her fate looked like.

Jacob moved closer to the trembling white figure; it shuddered as Jacob got closer.

"_Holly." _Jacob called calmly, feeling like he was going to burst into tears. _"Holly, please, it's okay."_

The voice speaking aloud in Holly's mind was soothing and very familiar, minus the fact that it was in her head and not out loud. She crawled away from the creature calling her name around the other side of the tree.

"_Holly, it's me Jacob. Don't be scared." _Jacob reassured, following her. Within seconds a roar escaped from Holly's mouth and she burst into the opening, furious.

"_How dare you! Where is he? What did you do to him!" _Holly rumbled.

"_Holly really, it's me!" _Jacob said anxiously. _"You've seen me like this before."_ With that said, Jacob emerged from the cover of the oak tree. His russet colored fur still glistened in the darkest of night. He towered over Holly and his muscles were visible even under his long fur. Holly stepped back, the anger in her expression slowly turning into shock and confusion. In front of her was the wolf that had visited her every night. The friendly eyes that had warmed her heart since she had moved to La Push were staring back at her. Within seconds she was on the ground, whimpering. Jacob knelt down beside her.

"_Why am I like this? Why are you a…" _Holly asked after a moment. Jacob gazed at Holly lying on the ground. Her stance left her vulnerable and helpless. It was as if she was drained of everything that made her who she was.

"_You'll find everything out once you change back." _Jacob comforted.

"_How do I do that?" _Holly wondered, her voice still sounding hopeless.

"_Just relax."_ Jacob said, _"You'll know when you can." _

"_Wait," _Holly asked, _"I won't have clothing, will I?" _

"_Nope." _Jacob could feel himself blush.

"_Great." _Holly chuckled, even as a wolf her chuckle made Jacob's stomach flutter. _"If I changed back that means you have to as well."_

"_Deal." _Jacob felt suddenly at ease. Having Holly even near him allowed him to relax. Together they laid in the clearing for what seemed like hours. Just before dawn broke Jacob felt Holly, who had been almost completely still, begin to tremble. He could feel her muscles relax. _"Don't run." _

Holly got up off the ground paced slowly behind the tree where Jacob had found her the night before. Jacob followed her, staying a few steps behind. Within minutes Holly poked half of her face out from behind the tree. Her cheeks were stained with mud and her hair was knotty and matted; Jacob had never seen her so beautiful.

"You said…" Holly whispered. Jacob nodded his head and phased in the middle of the clearing as if it were nothing. Watching the process amazed Holly; the whirlwind of color and molecules was inimitable, she had never seen anything like it. Within seconds Jacob was standing there, looking as normal as ever, besides the fact he was without clothing. It didn't change how beautiful he was. His coppery, shimmering skin shone in the rising sunlight. His hair hung loose over his shoulders and suddenly Holly didn't feel anxious. The way he just stood there as if nothing had happened made Holly feel like everything was back to normal; although she knew otherwise. Everything had changed, but Jacob hadn't. In that moment she knew he was hers, and only hers.

Jacob crossed his arms and waited.

"Whenever you're ready," Jacob assured, "Don't rush."

Holly hesitated for a moment, feeling a sudden rush of goose bumps skim her arms and torso. She wasn't _nervous_; it was Jacob. Everything had suddenly changed. It was as if he were a Greek God welcoming her into the heavens. He was _everything_. With that she stepped out from behind the tree, a beam of light illuminating her right leg as she stepped further into the clearing. Her heart was beating out of her chest. As she stepped closer and closer towards Jacob she could feel the warmth of the sun cover her skin. Holly stopped a few inches from him, waiting for his reaction.

Jacob didn't know how to comprehend his emotions, the setting was perfect; Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden have you will, but it was so much more than that. He suddenly reached forward and pulled Holly into his arms, he had never seen anyone so beautiful. Her heart beat wildly against her chest as she curled into his grip.

"We sh-…" Jacob began.

"I –…" Holl started

The both stopped at the same time, Holly looked at her feet.

"What?" Jacob asked, hoping she would finish what she was going to say.

"Nothing," Holly shook her head, "We should get going."

"Probably, you're going to have to phase again." Jacob warned her.

"How?" She asked, the only time she had phased before was because of _her_. She paused for a moment; the only reason Holly became a monster was because Bella showed up. It was her fault. Holly could feel her anger intensifying and once more she could feel her blood boiling. It didn't feel as strange as it did before but it still hurt. Within moments she was on all fours. Jacob was soon behind her. His fierce stance was almost frightening until she looked into his eyes; she could see Jacob radiate from them and it comforted her.

Together they raced through the forest, heading back towards the reservation. Jacob was the fastest of the pack but he was no match for Holly. She was way smaller than Leah; but on the other hand, Leah could pass as a male wolf when lined up. Holly was definitely more feminine looking, but Jacob suspected she had just as much power, if not more, than Leah. The main difference, Jacob thought, was that Holly would not back down if put in the situation of a fight. The thought of the past year and the war with the newborn vampires made Jacob shudder. He couldn't bear to imagine Holly getting hurt the way he did, let alone fighting. It made him nervous.

What seemed like mere minutes passed when Jacob realized they crossed the border of the reservation. He was caught off guard when Holly disappeared from his side. Jacob spun around only to see Holly stopped dead in her tracks.

"_What?"_

"_The voices," _Holly looked around. _"Who are they?" _ There was no more confusion in her voice; it was almost as if she had expected it. Jacob listened for a moment; he was so used to the various conversations going on through his mind that he rarely paid attention to them. He didn't realize that it would come as a shock to Holly.

"_Sam, Embry and Seth I believe. Leah could be around as well." _Jacob explained.

"_They're all like this too?" _Holly asked, shocked. She thought they were the only ones.

"_Yes." _Jacob replied. With a burst of speed rumbling under her paws, Holly flew forward. In no time they were at Holly's house still shaded by the trees. The sun was just beginning to set. _"Wow, we were gone a while."_

"_I don't want to go home." _Holly said.

"_You'll need to eventually Hol'." _Jacob warned. _"Besides, you need clothes."_

"_I can't…" _Her voice trailed off. _"They lied to me; all of them. They all knew this was going to happen Jacob." _

"_Holly, they couldn't tell you. I didn't know until it happened either." _Jacob explained. _"It's just the way things are."_

"_I just can't face them yet." _Holly decided.

"_Just come with me then. Billy won't care." _Jacob tugged Holly back towards the thick of the forest. She ran slower this time, lost in thought. Not a word was said until they reached Jacob's house. _"We'll need to go through my window."_ Holly nodded her head.

"_You have to change first," _Holly said, _"It calms me down." _

"_Alright_._" _With that, Jacob phased back to his human state and as she suspected, Holly calmed down instantly. Within two seconds, she felt herself phase back. _"Come on."_

Jacob slid his window open and lifted Holly through in one fluent motion. He hopped through after and closed the window behind him. Jacob scavenged the floor and found a pair of sweatpants and a sweater and tossed them to Holly.

"Thanks." She said, slipping the sweater over her head. It was massive on her but it didn't look like she cared. Jacob slid on a pair of jeans and turned around. Holly was pulling the drawstring of the sweatpants tight in attempt to keep them around her tiny waist. Even with her face covered in mud, she never ceased to sun Jacob.

"You're beautiful." Jacob whispered, walking over to her.

"Jacob, really." Holly said, entwining her arms through his and around his waist. She buried her face in his chest and choked back her sobs.

"Holly, look at me," Jacob said, pushing her chin up towards his face. "Everything is going to be okay, trust me." He wiped the tears off her cheeks. "And you are beautiful, nothing would change my stand on that." Holly smiled and rested her head against his chest. For a moment, they were silent, savoring the feeling of comfort and security. For the first time in two days she believed him; everything was going to be all right.

"We have to tell Billy."


	18. Harvest Moon Playlist One

The bolded songs are the most prevelent songs of the story, and if you want I can explain how some of them go with the story so far; some events that explain the choice of song havn't been written, they only exist in the great mind of Stephanie. ENJOY (a second one will be on the way)

1. Addicted To You - Anthony Callea

**2. Baby Love - Nicole Scherzinger**

3. Bound To Happen - Spill Canvas

4. Breakdown - Chris Daughtry

5. Certain Words In Uncertain Times - This Providence

6. The Clincher - Chevelle

7. Cry - Mandy Moore

8. Degausser - Brand New

9. Endless Summer - Ashlee Simpson

10. Go Figure - Everlife

11. Here Without You - 3 Doors Down

12. Hopeless Love - Daphnee Loves Derby

13. I'm A Player - The K.G.B

14. I'm Like A Lawyer With The Way I'm Always Trying To Get You Off (Me & You) - Fall Out Boy

15. It's Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door - Underoath

16. Kryptonite - 3 Doors Down

17. Let It Go - Brit & Alex

**18. The Little Things - Colbie Caillat**

19. Me And Mr Jones - Amy Winehouse

20. Meant To Live - Switchfoot

21. A Moment Suspended In Time - Underoath

22. No Letting Go - Wayne Wonder

**23. Numb - Sia**

**24. On Top Of The World - Boys Like Girls**

25. Pachad - Yael Naim

26. Put Me On - Swollen Members

**27. Rebirthing - Skillet**

28. Shine - David Gray

29. Slow Me Down - Emmy Rossum

**30. Smart In A Stupid Way - Steven Strait & Ashlee Simpson**

31. Take Me Away - Avril Lavigne

32. There's Nothing - Sean Kingston

33. Walking At Night, Alone - Armor For Sleep

34. Where The Green Grass Grows - Tim McGraw

35. You Could Be Happy - Snow Patrol


	19. Chapter 18

Definitely apologize for the serious lack of updates (it's steph btw, not jayme writing this)

But I have a good excuse. I'm in university now *throws up at bit*

Therefore it takes all of my free time for the most part.

and it really stinks in this library? lol.

bbut yeah, anyways here you go, oh yeah sorry for the intense dialogue, but it needed it.

loves (L) steph

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

"What?" Holly asked in disbelief, all colour drained from her face.

"Holly, he has to know, everyone does." Jacob explained.

"No, Jacob, they don't." Holly turned to face the window.

"Most of them probably already do know, Holly." Jacob said empathetically, "You can't hide it."

"Yes I can." Holly sounded very sure of herself.

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that?" Jacob asked. He folded his arms across his chest. "And leaving is out of the question."

"I just won't phase." Holly turned back towards Jacob.

"It's not that easy." Jacob looked at his feet.

"Then leaving is my only option." Holly said.

"Not without me, it isn't." Jacob countered. Holly looked at him skeptically. "You go, I go; simple as that. Take your pick." Holly looked at the floor; the thought of leaving Jacob behind _was_ out of the question. She wouldn't last very long without him there; he had turned into her everything. She had never been used to becoming so attached to someone before; at least _this _attached. Holly always had a severe distrust of people; it was almost as if she feared getting too close, but Jacob was different. Jacob was it. "Holly, I will never let you go."

"I don't want to go." Holly looked at Jacob in the eye. He paced over and picked her up off the ground. She instantly felt her exhaustion once in his arms. Placing her down on his bed, Jacob curled up around her and pulled a blanket tight over them. Within seconds they were sound asleep.

Hours passed before Jacob found himself opening his eyes again. He could feel Holly's warm breathe on his chest; she was still sound asleep. Jacob couldn't bring himself to move; he didn't want to let go of her. Everything was silent until Jacob heard rustling in the kitchen.

"Shit." He mumbled, making Holly stir.

"What?" She asked, stretching a bit and falling back into place.

"Billy." He whispered, rubbing his eyes.

"Oh." Holly was instantly awake.

All of a sudden Jacob heard Billy's wheelchair roll down the hallway and stop right in front of his door. A small knock came next.

"Jake," Billy's raspy voice echoed through the door. "Can you come out here please." Holly looked at Jacob and then at the window.

"Yeah, one second." Jacob answered and shook his head at Holly, "Come on." He whispered.

"I'm not going out there," Holly trembled, "You tell him first."

"Promise me that you won't leave." Jacob said sternly, he knew he better than she thought. "Promise Hol'."

"I promise." Holly agreed, wrapping her right pinky around his.

"I'll be back." Jacob promised and kissed her on the forehead.

In the kitchen, the rising sun illuminated the kitchen with an array of orange and gold light. Billy sat at the table, munching on an apple and holding his steaming coffee. The morning newspaper was laid out in front of him. Everything seemed normal at first, until he looked at Jacob.

"Jacob Black," Billy said, "You've got some explaining to do."

"Dad, please." Jacob started. "I know you understand."

"I do," Billy took a sip of his coffee, "But Gordon Juturna doesn't." Jacob starred at Billy. After a few moments of silence, Billy spoke again, "Where is she?"

"In my room." Jacob admitted, staring at his feet.

"Jac-" Billy began to speak in an accusing tone.

"Dad, nothing happened. I swear." Billy sighed.

"Can you tell her to come out here?" Billy asked. Jacob knew he was on his side. He nodded his head and walked back to his room where Holly was sitting cross-legged on the bed, facing the window.

"Billy wants to- "

"I heard." Holly sighed as she got up slowly from the bed.

"It'll be fine Hol, really." Jacob assured, kissing her forehead. Together they walked out to the kitchen. Billy looked up only to see Holly, looking astonishingly more like her mother than before which made him smile. Holly felt a little more at ease. She sat down at the table across from Billy.

"You're probably confused, eh kiddo?" Billy took her hand from across the table. Holly looked away; tears began forming in her eyes again. She nodded her head slightly. "You're Mom is very worried about you."

"You spoke with her?" Holly choked in a near-accusing tone.

"Yes," Billy began, "I had to tell her what was going on Holly. Your grandfather was going to send out a police brigade." Holly chuckled.

"He would." Holly agreed. "What does she know?"

"Enough to keep your grandfather calm without telling him," Billy answered, "But, I wouldn't doubt he has figured it out." Holly didn't say a word; she just stroked the side of Billy's copper-skinned hand. The wrinkles made a beautiful pattern that Holly admired. She thought of painting them, strong yet caring. She was content in her wandering mind until Billy suggested what she feared most. "You should call them."

"Can you?" Holly looked at Billy in the eye.

"Yes, I can." Billy picked up the phone and rolled himself out the front door to the porch. Holly remained in the daze at the table for a moment, her fingers still moving as if she was still stroking his hand. She couldn't even understand what was going through her head; colors of falling leaves, crimsons, fire, and lace even. She felt cold as she imagined her running through the forest barefoot. She was human, which was a relief, and around her swirled leaves of every kind. Rings of sunlight danced through them like ribbons creating their path. She could feel Billy's soft skin in her hand, Jacob's kiss on her lips, and her mother's arms around her. As she ran further into the forest the feelings were drifting away; like an addict losing his trip. Jacob's voice echoed in her ear. It wasn't until she realized that he was actually speaking did Holly snap back to reality.

"Are you okay?" A look of concern flooded Jacob's face.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Holly assured. Jacob knelt down beside her; he was so tall that he could rest his head on her shoulder. Within moments, the sound of a car died in the driveway. Holly could hear Billy welcome the visitors as they climbed the creaky wooden steps of the porch. Holly chose to ignore it; trying as hard as she could to fall back in a daydream. Her mother's voice, however, kept her drowned in reality. She was trying unbearably hard to move away from what was beyond the other side of the door. Holly found herself counting down as she heard the steps move closer to the door, the handle turn, it creak open on its rusty hinges, and the first word.

"Holly!" Fran said sounding very relieved. She ran towards Holly and took her in her arms and Holly hugged her back. She wished that it were only her mother there. A few heavy footsteps followed the sound of Billy's chair rolling into the kitchen. Holly groaned into her mother's hair. "Don't worry, I'm on your side." Her mother admitted loud enough for only Holly to hear. She let go a few moments later, leaving Holly to run the gauntlet comprised of her grandfather.

Gordon was leaned up against the counter with his hands folded across his chest looking rather intimidating. He was starring directly at Jacob, who had just emerged from his room with a shirt on. Fran hugged Jacob next, "Thank you." Jacob nodded his head in acknowledgement. Holly sat back down in her chair and Fran sat down beside her. Jacob stood back giving them space much to Holly's display. She felt as if she need as much of a shield as she could get by looking at the expression plastered to her grandfather's face. Holly was thankful when Billy broke the silence,

"Looks like we have some talking to do. Right Holly?" Billy looked at her and then back at Gordon. Holly looked down at her hands.

"What happened Holly?" Fran asked, "Just explain everything."

"Fran, please." Gordon spoke, "We all know."

"Dad, my daughter, my rules, remember?" Holly looked at her Mother with a shocked expression. "I'd like to hear it from her."

"No, I am sick of being undermined! She needs a father figure." Gordon stood up straight, fists clenched. "It's not my fault hers didn't set respectable boundaries!"

"Oh, for God's sake Grandpa, give it a rest." Holly pressed her face into her hands.

"Excuse me?" Gordon asked sternly.

"Honestly, give it a rest," Holly stood up right in front of him. He towered over her but that didn't make her back down. Jacob stood alert. "I'm sick and tired of you treating me as if I'm a child. After all, this you're your fault." Gordon stood back in surprise. "Why didn't you tell me?" Holly accused viciously.

"Holly," Jacob spoke for the first time, "They couldn't. It's meant to be a secret."

"Still, Jake. They're my family," Holly turned around to face Jacob.

"Holly, has it ever crossed your mind that _I _didn't tell you?" Jacob asked, knowing he was right. Holly stood back and examined the look on Jacob's face. It was a mixture of worry, knowing and love. Holly felt hot tears swirl in her eyes; she knew he was right. She nodded her head and looked at her feet. Jacob took her in his arms and whispered in her ear, "It's alright, I know what it's like to have your world turn upside down."

"Can I just go back to sleep? I really don't feel like talking anymore." Holly asked as she buried her face in Jacob's chest. Jacob looked at Billy, Gordon and Fran. Gordon nodded his head.

"Come on." Jacob picked up Holly and carried her back to the bedroom and closed the door behind him.

"We shouldn't have come here." Fran said, burying her face in her hands.

"You can't blame yourself, Fran." Billy took her hand in his. "This is our lives, it's the way we are. It's meant to happen."

"Billy is right, Fran. It was bound to happen." Gordon took a seat at the table. "What confuses me is why it happened." Billy sighed as he began to explain.

"They came back." Billy began, "They changed a friend of Jake's; Charlie Swans daughter, Bella."

"But that breaks the treaty, Billy." Fran jumped.

"It was Bella's choice. She's in love with one of them." Billy admitted.

"The doctor?" Gordon asked, shocked.

"No, the boy, Edward." Billy said. "She left with him at the beginning of the summer and came back with Charlie the day in happened. Holly reacted to her presence. Bella had been changed; newborns have stronger potency than ones that have been around our kind for so long. It was harder for her to mask what she was; which was odd, she acted generally calm . There was no hope for Holly; when Bella showed up I knew something was going to happen." Gordon and Fran stayed silent.

"At least she didn't get hurt, Dad." Fran supposed.

"Jake made sure of that." Billy said.

"How so?" Gordon asked.

"I guess it scared Holly more than we would have intended. She ran off into the forest and fell off everyone's radar; I've never seen one of our kind run that fast." Billy replayed. Gordon and Fran's eyes went wide as they listened with wonder. "Jacob didn't give up until he found her.

"Billy," Gordon paused, "Do you think your son has…" His voice trailed off.

"If not already," Billy answered, "then real soon." Fran smiled.

"Good." She said happily. Gordon looked at her confused. "Holly has… difficult tendencies. Jacob seems to handle her better than anyone."

"Difficult is a bit of an understatement." Gordon chuckled.

"She doesn't do well with change," Fran explained, "After her father was killed she changed completely. Her response to situations varies and there is no way to tell how she will react. Something small will send her so far over the edge that she has been known to stop eating, she's disappeared for days on end, and at one point I think she turned to drugs but she is so… closed to me that it's hard to tell."

"You don't seem to have a very closed relationship though." Billy observed.

"We get along as well as we do because I give her the space she needs." Fran admitted, "If she wants to talk, she'll talk on her own terms. I've noticed though, with Jacob, that she is a completely different person. It's as if he defied her barrier all together. Holly seems to trust him more than anyone."

"Jacob is a very well-rounded kid." Billy agreed. "He matured a lot over the summer."

"He's what Holly has always needed." Fran said, "She has never trusted any of her friends. To tell you the truth, I don't think she has ever had a real friend. She has always been content in herself but after a while I guess it turned dangerous."

"So where does this take us?" Billy asked, folding his arms over his chest. "Holly is a part of the pack now, but it's your choice whether you will allow her to remain Gordon, as you are technically her 'alpha' so to speak."

Gordon pondered for a moment, vision focused on the table. Everyone was quiet.

"Billy, with your permission as well as the rest of the others," Gordon began, "I would like to request permission to be reinstated into the original pack. For Holly's sake."

"You have my blessing, friend." Billy said with great pleasure. "I think we should wait to formally announce this at the bonfire. Holly needs to be aware of her background first."

"I agree." Fran stated. Gordon nodded his head in approval.

"As for Holly," Billy began, "She is welcome to stay here for as long as she needs. Until she's 'comfortable in her own skin, have you."

"I know you will take care of her. I think she'd be better off with people that know how to handle this situation." Fran joked.

"I think we'd best be on our way." Gordon said, getting up from his seat at the table, "Tell Holly we say goodbye; she's probably asleep."

"Will do." Billy agreed as he shook Gordon's hand.

"Thank you for everything Billy." Fran said appreciatively as she bent down to give him a hug.

"Anytime," Billy offered, "After all, we're all in this together now."

"That we are." Gordon agreed.


	20. Chapter 19

Bless the essay gods, I only have one more left, bwahahahah

but non the less, went and saw twilight twice today

taylor lautner makes me want to stab my eyes with insanely sharp objects repeatedly until i bleed to death.

so i figured i should finish a chapter, just so i dont lose faith in MY jacob :)

enjoy :D

- stephanie

* * *

For hours on end Jacob laid with Holly draped across his chest, out cold. He watched the sun set and now it was beginning to rise again. The orange light poured into his bedroom, illuminating the clothing all over the floor. Jacob was thankful he took his shirt off before Holly fell asleep; he had tried so hard to stay still as he watched Holly sleep. Although it was quiet and he was extraordinarily comfortable, Jacob could not bring himself to fall asleep; watching her was too amusing. He could feel her stomach growl on his and he knew she would be waking up soon. She had been asleep since Jacob took her back to his room after speaking with Gordon and Fran. Jacob figured Billy had convinced them to let her stay there; although he wasn't sure how Billy had swayed Gordon.

For a moment, Jacob closed his eyes and for the first time that night, he felt as if he could go to sleep. Just as he was about to fall off, Holly stirred and rolled off of Jacob, jolting him awake again. He watched Holly stretch and turn to face him. Her eyes opened slowly after letting out a long yawn.

"Morning?" Holly said as if it were a question; she wasn't sure what time it was.

"Yes, morning." Jacob answered, fighting hard not to close his eyes.

"Did you sleep alright?" Holly asked, resting her head back on Jacob's shoulder.

"Couldn't tell you." Jacob chuckled. "Don't worry, it wasn't you. I was actually extremely comfortable."

"Well, that answered my next question." Holly mumbled, "Are y-"

"Yes, I'm sure Holly." Jacob answered before she could ask. He smiled at her, eyes still partially closed.

"Well, you could go to sleep now." Holly suggested. "I could use a few more hours myself."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Jacob was dumfounded; not even he could sleep that long. "You've slept practically three days straight."

"Just go to sleep," Holly instructed as she yawned again, "I'm down with more sleep. What day is it anyway?"

Jacob had to think for a second, "Monday."

"Really?" Holly asked, surprised.

"I guess Billy realized that school wasn't on our to do list." Jacob joked as he rolled to face Holly. He took her in his arms and within seconds he drifted off into a deep slumber.

When Jacob woke it felt as if he had been put under anesthetic for hours. Immediate panic flooded his body when he realized he wasn't grasping onto anything anymore. He jolted up and peered around the room. Besides the fact that Holly wasn't there, there was something off about his room. It was clean. The clothes were hung up on the closet for the first time in almost two years. The lamp he had knocked off the table was fixed and put back in its spot. The garbage that had littered the floor was swept up and taken out. The curtains were hung evenly and the blinds were strait. It didn't even resemble his room. He swung the covers off and stepped on the floor; which he could see and walk on without tripping on anything.

Jacob wandered out to the living room where Billy was watching TV. The rest of the house looked clean too; everything sparkled.

"Where's Holly?" Jacob asked a little concerned.

"Right here." She said from behind him. Jacob swung around only to see Holly donning a clean pair of Jacob's boxers and a t-shirt with a towel wrapped around her hair. "Sorry I wasn't there when you woke up."

"Did you clean my room?" Jacob asked dumbfounded.

"The rest of the house too." Billy interrupted. "All before I could come home and protest."

"Everything sparkles." Jacob joked. Holly just looked at her feet and smiled.

"I clean when I don't want to think about anything else. It clears my head."

"You didn't have to." Jacob hugged Holly tightly.

"I wanted too." She hugged him back. "But I think you should shower."

"So now you are telling me I smell?" Jacob chucked as he let go of Holly.

"No," Holly laughed, "But we are going to the ceremony tonight. Billy said you would know what I meant. I, however, don't have a clue."

"You'll know soon enough." Jacob kissed her forehead and headed to the bathroom.

Holly must have had a hot shower because there was no warm water left when Jacob stepped in. He didn't mind though; cold showers always woke him up. Once he was done he brushed his teeth and secured a towel around his waist. Not even thinking, Jacob opened the door to his bedroom only to see Holly, with her bare back, getting changed. His first instinct was to close the door and wait, but his body didn't move. It wasn't the first time he had seen her with no clothes on, but this time it was different. The situation was simple, normal and nothing was blurring Jacob's mind except Holly, in front of him, in nothing but a pair of booty shorts. The small of her back was dimpled as she lifted Jacob's shirt over her head. Her legs were tanned and toned and Jacob couldn't help himself; she was the most attractive girl he had ever seen.

At the sound of the door opening, Holly covered her chest and turned to look over her shoulder. Jacob was standing there, water dripping from his hair and down his chest and a towel wrapped around his waist. "Oh," Holly sounded relieved, "It's only you." Not worrying about the fact that Jacob was watching, Holly turned back around and started to get dressed as if nothing had happened. With a little bit of hesitation Jacob reached out and grasped her waist; pulling her closer. He turned Holly to face him and kissed her fervently. Holly wrapped her arms around Jacob's bare torso and trailed her fingers up and down his spine. His hands grasped her tighter and tighter as their lips remained locked.

They eventually made their way to Jacob's bed. Their lips, tongues, hands, legs, and bodies were intertwined. He never admitted it, but it was the most intimate Jacob had ever gotten with someone; let alone the most beautiful person in the world. Leaving her lips, Jacob trailed down her jaw line to her neck with kisses, making her giggle. Her hands were entwined in his hair as he kissed over her collarbone. Within seconds he was down to her hips and felt himself grow nervous. He could feel Holly's body begin to tremble as he traced his fingers around her stomach.

"Jake?" Billy shouted from the kitchen making both Holly and Jacob jump. Jacob threw on whatever clothes he could find and went out to greet Billy. Holly was right behind him. "What did you guys want to do for dinner?" Jacob remained silent, still tainted by the last five minutes.

"I should probably get going home." Holly responded. "My Mom will be wondering if I exist anymore."

"That's probably a good idea." Billy agreed. "Jake will drive you." Jacob looked back and Holly and smiled. She returned the gesture.

"Let's get going then." Jacob took Holly's hand and led her back to the bedroom. They grabbed her stuff in silence and left the house. It wasn't until they were five minutes down the road that either of them said anything.

"This will be weird." Holly complained.

"What?" Jacob questioned.

"Sleeping without you." Holly admitted, "I'm not going to enjoy a minute of it. I am considering making my Mom stay up all night with me to watch movies, just so I don't have to face an empty bed." Holly stuck out her lower lip, making Jacob chuckle.

"Well, the last thing you need is sleep." Jacob pointed out. The both of them had slept away the weekend together without realizing it. Holly giggled. "I love it when you smile."

"I'll make sure I do it more often for you." Holly flashed a giant cheesy smile, flashing all of her pearly white teeth.

"Only if you have a reason too." Jacob warned, carefully glancing at her; her beauty made it hard to focus on the road in front of him.

"If I'm with you," Holly admitted, "I'll always have a reason." Jacob blushed, warming Holly's heart. In no time they arrived at the Juturna's house. A soft light radiated from the bay window. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too." Jacob said, leaning over and kissing Holly on the forehead. "If you need anything tonight, call me. Please." The sudden concern in Jacob's voice startled her.

"I'll be fine, really." Holly guaranteed, smiling an assuring grin. She unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed out of the car. Before she headed up the steps to her house, she stopped at Jacob's window. "I'll see you tomorrow? At school?"

"Yep." Jacob affirmed and with that he leant up and kissed Holly gently on the lips. She backed away slowly until she reached the first step and within moments she was inside her house. Jacob waited until the front door latched shut until he drove away. Little did Holly know, he would be watching. Jacob still felt uneasy about letting her out of his sight.

He raced home as fast as he could, irritated that he would move faster if he were on his feet. Not even bothering to pull the car in the garage, Jacob ripped the keys out of the ignition and ran in the house. Jacob didn't even notice Billy awake and watching television when he dashed to his room.

"A little eager to get to bed, boy?" Billy called from the living room. Jacob knew he had been caught. "Come back." Jacob walked slowly back into the living room. "You can't sneak in to her house, Jake. Gordon has been very tolerable with you, don't jeopardize that."

"I wasn't going to sneak in." Jacob argued, collapsing on the couch across from Billy. "I was going to watch. Just to make sure she doesn't do something stupid."

"What do you mean do something stupid?" Billy inquired, turning down the volume on the television.

"She's making me uneasy, Dad. We've never dealt with someone like her." Jacob looked at his feet.

"Leah was like her." Billy argued.

"No, it's a lot different." Jacob said.

"Well, you have to explain to me then." Billy pushed.

"Holly isn't from here, she didn't grow up in the same environment." Jacob began, "I can't figure out why she is like this, but she seems really indecisive when she's by herself; almost irrational."

"Fran mentioned a few things to me about Holly," Billy stated, "I think I understand what you mean."

"I just want to make sure she does not doing anything that could hurt her; or anyone else for that matter." Jacob admitted.

"Just be careful." Billy warned and went back to watching the basketball game. Jacob jumped off the couch and back out the door. As soon as his bare feet hit the muddy ground, he phased. It felt good to fly through the forest without care. By the time he reached Holly's, the rain had drenched his body even though he was hidden under the umbrella of trees. From first glance, the cottage looked normal. The light from the kitchen was on, as was a smaller light in Holly's room. He could hear faint music playing in the background. The calm environment Jacob felt comforted him, allowing him to relax. He sat down on a bed of leaves, eyes still trained on the house.

Hours passed until Jacob noticed any life in the house. Loud voices flew from the kitchen window, making Jacob's hair stand on end. He strained his ears to catch who was arguing; however, he did not hear Holly's voice. It was Fran and Gordon. Jacob listened for another hour, as the yelling progressively got louder. He waited to see Holly emerge from the back door, but she never did. Jacob estimated that around three in the morning the arguing finally stopped. Although he never saw Holly come outside, like she always did when she was upset, Jacob didn't feel at ease. Once all the lights had been off for a few minutes, Jacob wandered out onto the wet beach and towards Holly's window. It was hard to see anything at first; shadows and shapes overcame Jacob's vision. Eventually he noticed Holly fast asleep in her bed, light from the moon illuminating her soft face. Her ever so slight breathing made a piece of hair that was drooped over her eyes fly into the air every few seconds. Everything about her presence was so peaceful. It wasn't until Jacob heard a slight growl that he put his guard up.

Sitting up on Holly's bed was a giant German shepherd. His ears were shot into an upright position and his white teeth were viciously snapping at Jacob in the window. Within seconds, Jacob was in the forest; it wasn't as if he was scared of the dog, he was worried that Holly might feel a bit overwhelmed having him hovering over her at all times. In a way, Jacob felt better that Ty, she had told him the name just after they first met, had not let his guard down. Although Jacob knew there were bigger things out there than a vicious German shepherd. Jacob, at that point, decided to turn in for the night. He had convinced himself that Holly was asleep, safely tucked into her bed. Within moments of climbing back through his window, Jacob was out cold.

Morning came faster than Jacob had anticipated. He was jolted awake as Billy poured a bottle of freezing cold water over his face. "Morning princess. You're going to be late."

"It's been a while since you've done that." Jacob groaned as he stretched and turned over; his face was consumed in a sopping wet pillow. After Jacob had phased for the first time, he experienced an intense growth spurt that could be compared to one of an elephant.

"Lately you've been up every morning at the crack of dawn boy." Billy joked as he rolled himself out of Jacob's room, "Besides your odor compares to that of a pile of dung." It was at that moment Jacob realized that Holly would be worried and upset if Jacob wasn't at their locker in the morning; Jacob knew she would go so far as to not go to class and come here. Although, falling asleep with Holly seemed preferable when compared with going to school. Billy was right, however, he did need a shower. Within ten minutes Jacob was in the kitchen, wolfing down eight pieces of toast and a carton of milk. Right on time, Embry's jeep rolled violently into the driveway. Jacob sighed, realizing the flood of questions he was about to receive.

"Good luck." Billy chuckled as Jacob stalked out into the rain. As soon as he hopped into the jeep, the look in Embry's eyes told Jacob he had some explaining to do. Quil leaned into the front seat, wide-awake, which only pushed the need for an explanation further.

"A car ride to school is not nearly enough time." Jacob admitted as Embry backed out of the driveway.

"Than we're definitely not going to class." Quil decided, "Dude, everyone is wound up about this."

"And we need to hear it from you before we hear it from anyone else." Embry seconded.

"Haven't you already pieced it together? I mean, Sam knows." Jacob vouched.

"Sam's insanely quiet about the whole ordeal. All I know is now we are all on double patrols." Quil explained.

"Well, Holly will be waiting for me." Jacob fought, "I'll walk her to class and then meet you guys out back in the forest."

"Bring her." Quil suggested as they pulled into the parking lot.

"No," Embry argued, which Jacob was thankful for. "This needs to be between us." With that, there was nothing else said as they walked into the school. Jacob ascended the stairs that lead to his locker and waltzed through the door. Holly was already waiting there. She was wearing a pair of tight pair of whitewashed jeans with holes in the knees and a long-sleeved black shirt that fell off her shoulders a bit. Her hair was messily pulled back into a ponytail; her natural curl was spewing from the elastic that held it up. She was chewing on her fingernail as if she were nervous. As Jacob approached she gave a faint smile and turned to face the locker.

"I left it open for you." Holly stated anxiously, "I didn't know what was taking you so long."

"I over-slept." Jacob chuckled and hung his bag on the hook, avoiding crushing any of Holly's papers that had conjugated on the bottom shelf. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Holly said defensively, as if she was avoiding confrontation. "Fine." Jacob just looked at her. She knew he saw right through her sad attempt at acting like a closed book. "Do you want to go get coffee? I really can't see myself going to class right now." Holly felt defeated. She couldn't hide from him. There was something she had to say, but it was something that she wanted to avoid talking about.

"I can't right now." A wave of regret flooded over Jacob. "I told Embry and Quil that I'd meet them…"

"To give them an explanation?" Holly figured, looking down at her feet. Jacob nodded. "Jake?" She whispered, taking a step closer to him. Jacob curled her into his grasp.

"Yes?" He acknowledged.

"What if I… phase. Or feel like I have too?" Holly asked, ever so quietly.

"Run." Jacob said simply. "But not far enough that I can't find you. Someone will hear you; don't worry."

"What?" Holly looked at Jacob confused, reminding him that she didn't know everything yet.

"It'll all make sense once you've heard everything." Jacob informed Holly. "I'll find out when that will be when I talk to Em." Answering her next question, however, she still had something she needed to say.

"Alright." Holly convinced herself that everything would be okay; that everything was normal. Jacob walked her to class and waited until she was sitting at the piano until he left the school to find Embry and Quil. He felt the sloshing wet grass sink under his feet as he walked towards the forest that consumed three sides of the school. Breaking into an incredulously fast sprint as soon as he reached the line of the forest, Jacob found his friends in no time. Quil was seated on a fallen tree trunk that had been consumed in moss and Embry was pacing back and forth with his arms folded across his chest. They both had solemn, contemplating looks glued to their faces.

"Where do you want me to start?" Jacob decided it was best to face the gauntlet head on.

"At the beginning." Quil said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Quil, grow up." Embry wasn't as easy-going as Quil was at that present moment. "Wherever. I just need to know everything."

"Well, Bella's back… but she's not Bella anymore."


	21. Chapter 20

Well my lovlies,

Christmastime is Bliss!

I can write!

I already had to split this one in half, and I am finishing the other half before xmas. Promise!

However, never get a job in retail if you don't like working seven days in a row. Bah Humbug to XMas time at the mall!

BUT! By not writing for a while I got through my first exams of university *bites all nails off entirely* and although I don't know my marks yet, I got an e-mail from my history t.a. saying that I "Dominated the history exam in a very impressive fashion." WOOOOOOOO GO MEEEE!

So merry christmas all. You'll see another one within a day or two.

Enjoy. Read. And be gracious and comment afterwards:D

- Stephanie

* * *

After finishing his entire explanation of the past several days, Jacob left Quil and Embry speechless. For a few moments, silence overtook the three boys. Embry sat down on a fallen tree trunk and Quil began to pace pessimistically, heads in different places. A few times, Jacob noticed Embry open his mouth as if he was about to say something, but it remained silent. Quil, out of anxiety, broke the tension the silence was creating.

"What happens now?"

"What do you mean?" Jacob asked, confused.

"What I mean is that they broke the treaty." Quil explained himself. "Doesn't this mean we have to…"

"We have to what? Fight them?" Jacob asked rashly. He knew they wouldn't stand a chance, as much as he would have hoped they could.

"Yeah." Quil spoke, "Tear 'em apart, burn the pieces, that whole deal?"

"We don't stand a chance against them." Jacob admitted solemnly. He knew it was true.

"Oh, come on. We have enough on them." Quil argued, embarrassed to admit they could be defeated.

"It wouldn't be that easy, Quil." Embry spoke for the first time; eyes still trained to nowhere, contemplating thought. "There would be very few of us strong enough to take them on. The younger guys would be slaughtered instantly; they wouldn't stand a chance." Quil starred at Embry disgusted. His brow furrowed as deep as it could go. It had been a while since Jacob had seen Quil so frustrated.

"I think we're underestimating them." Quil argued.

"Is it really worth the chance though?" Embry looked up at Quil. His fingers intertwined and his elbows rested on his knees. "To possibly lose one of our own to a worthless cause?" Quil knew he was right. The three sat in silence once again until Jacob reasonably proposed that they should head back to campus, as first period was just ending and Holly would be wondering where he is. He still felt uneasy about leaving her alone.

As they approached the gym, Jacob remembered that they were swimming that day. He waited outside the change room until the last possible minute. Embry came out and suggested that she had already gone inside. Jacob agreed and followed Embry back into the dressing room. Guys in suits were already heading to the pool. One thing the three boys felt smug about was the fact that, when shirtless, the ego of every guy in their gym class was shot as low as it could go. Each of them was blessed with glowing copper skin, although Embry was a touch lighter than Quil and Jacob. They all had a physique of a body builder, without looking ridiculous. Everything about them physically was dominant over the vast majority of the guys they were about to be swimming with. Carter and a few of the other rugby players kept themselves in pretty good shape. Unlike Jacob, Quil and Embry, however, they spent countless hours at the gym.

Jacob and Embry were of the last to enter the pool and Jacob felt himself growing anxious; not only to make sure Holly was alright, but a small side of him was excited to see her in a bathing suit, although he had already seen her in less than that. Just the thought sent chills up and down his spine. As soon as he became aware of his surrounds, Jacob realized that every girl in the pool was starring at the three of them. Not only starring, but in sheer awe of the god-like figures that were placed in front of them. Jacob did not even notice that they were all wearing skimpy, frilly, brightly-colored bikinis – he was looking for one body and one body only, however, she was no where to be seen. He looked past the hoard of people, to the bleachers and sure enough, Holly sat, fully dressed, with a gigantic smirk plastered across her face. Her expression made Jacob chuckle.

Holly, who had avoided swimming day number one all together, was waiting for the shallow reactions of the dense princesses that had gossiped in the change room about who they were most excited to see. She felt a tad guilty pretending to listen to her iPod in order to hear what Justine was going to say, but what she had heard, made it all worth it. Justine had to be assured by five members of her following that her breasts looked perky enough, thinking that she would, for sure, attract Jacob's attention. Holly made an effort to keep a tab on Justine once she took a seat on the bleachers and sure enough, as soon as Jacob sauntered into the pool wearing only a pair of swim shorts and a towel draped over his neck, Justine made extra sure she was in his field of vision at all times; on her best angle. It amused Holly to no end and it was comforting when he looked straight past her and met Holly's vision. Then when he pushed past Justine unknowingly, Holly felt all too sure of herself and was very close to being convinced into swimming the next day.

Although she found the girls in her class to be utterly superficial, Holly always found herself amazed at Jacob's physique. It was the dictionary definition of _perfection_. From the way his shoulders looked as if they could crush every bone in someone's body, to his thick biceps, down to his rough hands. His abdominals made her swoon; Holly couldn't even count how many sculpted curves there were, and the way his torso lead to prominent hip bones that lead Holly to think…

Within moments he was through the crowd and walking up the bleacher steps to where she sat.

"I think it's very considerate of you to remain clothed." Jacob joked sarcastically as he picked her up effortlessly and sat back down with her in his lap, "I'm sure we would have to have an ambulance present the moment you would walk out of the change room wearing a skimpy little thing. You would have sent every male in here into cardiac arrest." She strung her arms around his neck, trying to hide her blush.

"I think you almost gave Justine a brain hemorrhage when you walked in here." Holly countered, still trying to recover from her forbidden thoughts. "If what you said was true, however, how come I haven't had to rush you to emergency, or even give mouth to mouth." Holly burst out laughing at her own wit. Jacob boomed as well.

"That's because, unlike them," Jacob whispered coarsely into her ear, "I know it's all mine," and he traced his fingers around her lower back and squeezed her sides, "and I can touch it whenever I want." And with that said, he slid is burning hands up the back of her shirt, sending chills down her spine and covering her skin with goose bumps; not caring if anyone saw. Holly pressed herself closer to his warm body; something she hadn't quite experienced herself yet, the intense temperature. Jacob could feel her breath on his shoulder and neck which made him sigh; he loved nothing more than when she was this close to him, if not closer. His touch, however, only turned her mind back to what had bothered her since the night before. Jacob noticed her change in facial expression right away. "What's wrong?" He whispered worriedly, he knew that there was some underlying thing that she was trying to hide and he was not going to let it slide.

"I'll tell you later, after the bonfire? We'll talk." Holly assured Jacob with a smile. He nodded his head and pushed her hair out of her face.

"Kay." He would take that; it was better than having to pry it out of her. In that precise moment, his gym teacher called him down from his supposed 'canoodling' on the benches. He lifted Holly back up and set her gingerly on the bench again and hopped down, pausing only to say one last thing to Holly. "I think I'll pretend to be unconscious next time; the mouth to mouth sounds rejuvenating." Making Holly burst out laughing again and making Jacob happy; at least she wasn't going to wallow in whatever was bothering her forever.

They were assigned to swim laps and at the end of the class, Jacob, Embry, Quil and Carter proposed a race between the four of them after dominating at the four-man relay. Jacob floored them all, much to his surprise because Embry was a much better swimmer than he was. After listening to their gym teacher flutter on about how they made 'Olympic-worthy' strides, the four of them went back into the change room.

The remainder of the day was seemingly uneventful. Holly seemed to push aside what had been bothering her and spent the rest of the day smiling. She fell asleep on Jacob's shoulder in English while watching 'My Fair Lady' since she had seen it a million and one times before. Jacob even met her at her class at the end of the day and walked her to the locker.

"So are you going to come with us tonight?" Jacob asked as Holly dressed herself to bear the bitter cold that had overtaken La Push.

"Yes. I'd like it if you would carry me as well." Holly said as she wrapped her scarf tightly around her neck.

"Done." Holly weighed next to nothing to Jacob. Holly gave him a surprised look.

"I was only joking." And with that, she laughed.

"Oh know, just you watch, I will carry you the whole way." Jacob bet.

Holly ended up driving Jacob and herself to his house where they fell asleep on the couch in the family room waiting to be told they that they were leaving. Just as the sun finished setting Billy, who had remained relatively quiet as the two slept on the couch, shouted, "We're flying the coop." adding 'home dogs' at the end of the statement, making Holly giggle groggily.

"You can go back to sleep, I'll carry you." Jacob instructed her as he lifted her off the couch in his arms, as if she were a baby. She couldn't object because his grasp was so comfortable and warm. He even went so far as to wrap the sheepskin that was draped over the couch around her even though she was boiling in his arms. Holly felt them leave the house, not even noticing how cold it was in Jacob's arms, and get into Billy's truck, but that was all she remembered before she was fast asleep against Jacob's chest once again.

Holly woke to Jacob shaking her lightly. She felt the sheepskin wrapped around both of them and the warmth of his skin made it all to comfortable. "You drooled on my shirt." Jacob joked. Holly opened her eyes a bit only to see a small wet spot on his shirt where she had rested her face.

"That's a little embarrassing." Holly laughed, sitting up as much as he would let her. Red, orange and black filled her vision once she realized she was sitting in front of the already roaring bonfire. Billy was sitting in his wheelchair in between Jacob's friend Sam and an ancient-looking man. Sitting next to him was Quil and Embry and on the other side of Sam sat Jacob's other friends Paul and Jared. Kim was curled up next to Jared who held her firmly, much like how Holly was sitting. Leah and her little brother, who Holly could not put a name to, was sitting on either side of an older women with laugh lines and a bright face. Sitting beside Embry was a woman with waist-length brown hair, cradling twin boys in her arms. Emily was sitting beside Leah with a little girl, with tight black curls, cradled in her arms. All the women had blankets wrapped around their shoulders with the exception of Leah and it took Holly a minute to notice that three more figures emerged from the forest that had surrounded them. It was the same place that Holly had met Jacob. Within moments, Holly realized that it was her grandparents and mother who had approached. They took a seat next to Holly and Jacob and her mom kissed her forehead. "Get ready for a story, babe."

Only moments passed until Billy began to speak. He seemed to call everyone's attention within seconds.

"For centuries, our people have resided on this reserve. La Push is a part of what we are, it's in our blood, and we are here to preserve and protect the beauty and magic that rests throughout these forests and in the waters of our land." He looked directly at Holly and smiled. She was entranced by the flow of his speech, his magical voice, and his dancing hands as he began to tell the story Holly had waited so long to hear.

He began with the story of the early Quileute ancestors and how they discovered they could embody the wolves that flocked to their lands. The story seemed so beautiful and magical until Billy let the old man, Jacob had explained that he was Old Quil Ateara, Quil's grandfather, speak.

"We lived in peace, in harmony with the tribes around us, and in love with our lives, our land and our people. Happiness and perfection can never last, however." Holly's was entranced with Old Quil as well; such a thick voice bleeding out of such a frail old man was breathtaking. "Quileute's were content until the arrival of the cold one. Once his kind was exposed to our people, our lives changed." As soon as the phrase 'cold one' was let out of Old Quil's mouth, Holly gasped. Everything clicked into place; it was as if her entire life suddenly had an explanation. Holly continued to listen to what was being told, as was everyone else. Jacob's face was trained on Old Quil the whole time, he seemed just as enchanted as she was even though she was sure he had heard the stories a million times. Old Quil went onto the legend of the first wife; sending chills down her spine. Once they were finished with the legends Holly found herself staring aimlessly into the dancing flickers of the flames.

"Now there are a few more things on the agenda tonight folks." Billy spoke once the crowd had settled from hearing the captivating legends. "First of all, a very significant event happened several days ago that I would like to bring to the attention of the tribe. Sam, would you?" For the first time that night, Sam stood up in front of the tribe and spoke with some authority in his tone.

"First of all, I would like to announce that another protector has emerged into our circle. Holly Juturna," when he announced her name she felt everyone's eyes trail to her, "phased for the first time, several days ago." Anxious for a moment, Holly wondered what everyone's reactions would be but was relieved when most smiled; some nodded their heads. "I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome the Juturna family back into the tribe after decades of being apart. It is very comforting to have you back as a part of our family and I would like to invite Gordon to take his rightful spot in the line of 'elders' have you will." Sam motioned for Gordon to stand between Billy and himself. Gordon, a tad apprehensive, nodded and stood up, taking his spot in the line.

"It's good to be back." And for the first time Holly could remember, her grandfather smiled genuinely.

"Now for the next item on the agenda," Billy moved on, "As most of you are aware, the reason our Holly phased was due to a visit from someone who was formerly not welcomed on our lands. Bella Swan, my very good friend Charlie's daughter, was changed, much to our anticipation, by one of the Cullens." Everyone seemed to shift in his or her spots; they all looked very edgy.

"I thought that meant we were supposed to attack. They broke the entire treaty. A human was changed and then it came onto the reserve." Paul spoke from his seat.

"This is where an executive decision needs to be made." Billy began calmly, "If they were to have changed one of our own, we would have had no choice but to strike against them, but from what I understand, it was Bella's _choice_ to be changed. Jacob can vouch for her decision." Holly looked immediately up at Jacob who was glaring into the fire as if he did not want to be a part of the conversation. "Jake?" He remained silent and looked Holly straight in the eye; pain flooded his expression.

"It's true." Jacob mumbled, not looking at anyone but Holly. Everyone was speechless.

"So, it's settled." Gordon broke the silence for the first time. "If I may, I don't see why we should pose the risk. This could backfire and everyone on this reserve would suffer." Holly was grateful for her grandfather's comment as it released a bit of the tension that had built up from what Jacob had said. He was back focused on the fire when everyone agreed with Gordon's insight and began talking amongst themselves for a second.

"Jacob?" Sam called from across the fire, "Can you come here for a second?" Jacob nodded his head and kissed Holly on the forehead just before placing her gently on the log. Leah slid down to where Holly was sitting to keep her company.

"I'm sure you're just filled with questions." Leah exclaimed. Holly smiled and laughed a bit.

"A bit of an understatement, but yes." Holly answered.

"Well, shoot, I bet I can answer a few." Leah offered, picking up a small stick off the ground by her feet.

"There is one question that I have for you in particular," Holly began, "I'm not sure I can ask Jacob. I need someone else's perspective."

"Go for it. Although, I am sure I know what it's regarding." Leah said, looking Holly in the eye.

"Bella; I need an explanation." Holly asked. Leah sighed.

"That monster tore that poor kids heart out and beat it to death with his nerves still attached, to say the least." Leah stated, making Holly cringe. "She moved here a few years ago to live with her father, Charlie, and she met one of the Cullen boys; one of the family of bloodsuckers from the legends – they're immortal, that's why they're still around. They actually left during our great-grandparents generation and came back when we were maybe thirteen. That's why we've all made the change, because of their reappearance. No one of our parents generation phased, just us. Anyways, Bella and Edward 'fell in love,' so to speak and then he ended up leaving her. Jacob stepped in and basically put her back together. Long story short, Edward came back and it was as if Jacob was back to being second. Once they had been back for a while, a sadistic vampire named Victoria created an army of newborn vampires and came after Edward for killing her mate. Nonetheless, they enlisted in our help and after almost getting him killed, Bella came one day to tell Jacob that she was leaving with Edward; and he knew what that meant. She had made the decision to be changed."

"From your perspective, how much did he love her?" Holly asked after a moment of silence.

"A lot; a few of us actually thought he might have imprinted on her. When he let her go though, we knew it couldn't be true." Leah answered.

"Imprinted?" Holly was confused at the term. Leah looked at her shocked, with a tinge of guilt in her expression. It was as if she wished she didn't say anything.

"That's something Jake needs to explain to you." Leah corrected herself, "Besides, even if he did love her after that, it wouldn't have mattered once you showed up."

"What do you mean, Leah?" Holly asked, still looking for answers.

"Again, something you need to ask Jacob." Leah fought the urge to tell her the truth.

Once Jacob came back to sit with Holly, people began to disperse from the bonfire and head home for the night.

"Do you want to get going?" Jacob asked Holly, who had been cradled in his lap since he got back from talking with the elders. "There is some stuff we should probably talk about."

"Sure." Holly agreed. After they said their goodbyes and once Holly told Fran she was spending the night out, Jacob carried her into the forest.

"Hold on tight." Jacob warned, and before Holly could ask why, she was flying through the air on the back of a seven-foot tall, russet colored wolf. Within minutes they arrived back at Jacob's house and he phased back into his normal self. Once they were inside, Jacob tucked Holly under the covers of his bed and climbed in beside her. Holly couldn't wait any longer to ask,

"What's imprinting?" Jacob was caught off guard.

"Who said anything about that?" He asked, playing with a piece of her hair.

"Leah mentioned it when I asked her about you and Bella. She said that everyone wondered if you had imprinted on her, but they were wrong, and that once I showed up it wouldn't have mattered if you loved her." Holly sat up in a frazzled state, confusion overtaking her thoughts. "I need answers Jake. Don't sugarcoat anything." Jacob sighed heavily and began to explain,

"Imprinting occurs in those who have made the change and it's very hard to understand. When it occurs, it's as if you only see one person and that one person becomes your everything. It could be someone who you have never met, it could be someone you've spent your entire life hating; it could be anyone. Although, I have never seen someone imprint on someone of the same sex." Jacob chuckled. Holly remained confused. "Look at Sam and Emily for instance. Sam was actually in love with Leah before he knew Emily. He was head over heels for her and everyone thought that he was going to marry Leah, but when he made the change for the first time; everything changed. He was the first so none of us knew, or could know, what was going on. Sam had disappeared for weeks and when he came back my Dad finally noticed what had happened. Not long after my Dad noticed how much he had changed, he realized what had happened to Sam. When he did, he took him to Old Quil and they explained what had happened. Sam's change put a lot of stress on their relationship because Leah had no idea, and couldn't know, what had happened to him. Then, one day, when Emily, who is actually Leah's cousin, came down from the Makah reserve to visit, Sam's world was turned upside down. He ended up imprinting on Emily as soon as he saw her and it was as if Leah didn't even exist. That's why Leah gets bitter every time she sees them together. It's as if you find your soul mate? Although much more intense than just being in love with someone. You see the person one day, and BOOM you would drop anything for them."

Holly felt her heart rate increase rapidly, "Who else has imprinted?"

"Jared on Kim; she sat beside him in math every day and he didn't take two looks at her until after he had made the change. His first day back at school after, as soon as he saw her, it was as if his entire world became about her. Quil has as well."

"Quil? Really? I've never seen him with anyone before though." Holly questioned in amazement.

"Here's where most people get a little freaked out." Jacob explained, "Did you see the little girl sitting on Emily's lap? The one with the tight black curls? That's her niece Clare, that's who Quil has imprinted on."

"What?" Jacob was right; Holly was freaked out.

"Let me explain!" You see, she is Quil's everything. Right now, he is like the best big brother someone could ask for. He takes her out, he plays with her, he buys her stuff, and he makes sure she is safe one hundred percent of the time – anything she will ask him to do, he will do it. He will be anything she wants him to be. When she gets older, who knows what will happen – I mean, it's not like we age, so it won't be creepy, but right now he is her best friend."

"But, there are some that fall in love with their imprints?" Holly questioned, she grew more and more curious.

"More often than not." Jacob continued to explain. "I mean, just look at Jared and Kim. They're crazy about each other." That made Holly's mind wander. Jacob was right; they _adored _each other. They were always together, Jared was super protective of Kim, and they were attached at the hip at school; just like Holly around Jacob. Then Holly made the biggest realization of all.

"Is there anyone else?" Holly pried cautiously; hoping she would receive the answer she was searching for.

"You mean in the pack?" Jacob had a good feeling he knew what she was talking bout; he just had to be sure.

"Yeah." Holly braced herself for the answer.

"Well, Embry hasn't and neither has Paul or Seth or any of the younger ones for that matter. Leah definitely hasn't; the day that will happen I will be the happiest person alive. I'll stop having to hear her think about Sam." Jacob spoke, dodging the question. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out why he was so anxious about telling her.

"Well… there is one more person you have not told me whether or not they have or not." Holly bit her lip, hoping this time he would get the message.

"I spent my entire summer, by myself, wallowing in self-pity; feeling like I had lost the one person that had meant anything to me." Jacob took in a big breath and exhaled. "But the first day I ventured out past my garage, I met a girl who took my breath away and when she left, you see, I couldn't stop thinking about her. So that's when I went to her place, and watched her from in the trees. It sounds weird, but I felt a strange urge to make sure she was okay, and I didn't leave until she was safely inside. That was the first night I didn't have a nightmare about who I had a lost; I dreamt of the girl I had found." Holly leant over and placed her forehead on Jacob's chest, not wanting him to catch her blush. "The next night I had went out to another party, but she wasn't there and I found myself growing worried. So, once again, I went and watched her from the trees to make sure she was okay. The moment I saw her that night, I knew that everything I thought I had for this girl was intensified more than I had anticipated; she became everything in that infinitesimal moment." Jacob pulled Holly's face to his and just before he could say one more thing, she beat him to it,

"I love you, Jacob Black."

"I love you too, Holly Juturna." Jacob responded; a wider smile couldn't possibly fit on his face, he thought, but Holly knew she was about to defy all odds when it came to how big a smile could be.

"Well, I spent most of my summer, packing my life up and moving to the single most dismal place on earth. Then, on one of my first outings, I met this amazing person that gave me faith in humanity again. I was never a people person; I was always much more content just being by myself, but he defied all my previous conceptions. I found myself restless when he wasn't there and there was nothing I wanted more than to spend ninety-nine point nine percent of my time with him. Then this mind-blowing thing happened; I found out that I was a descendant of this apparently not fictitious species and that I could phase into this intense wolf-like formation. Turns out, he's a freak too. When I saw him after I phased for the first time, I realized that he was the single, most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my entire life; and that is significant because I had never seen someone so good-looking before I had phased. I knew at that point…" Jacob looked at Holly with an expression on his face that only be translated into one thing; he had not expected anything that had, or was about to, come out of her mouth. "That there was no other person out there that I would love more; he became everything in that infinitesimal moment." Stealing his exact words and living up to her expectations; the smile on Jacob's face looked as if it was extruding from his cheeks and make his face explode. Within seconds he had tackled her; both had remained speechless at their realization; that they were going to be together for the rest of their lives.


	22. Chapter 21

I'm a terrible person. I apologize for the lateness of this. It's been done for at least two weeks.

my bad.

jayme's in cuba. and i hate my life.

that is all.

- (L) Steph

* * *

It had never crossed Holly's mind that she would find her soul mate and realize that her entire life was going to be spent with that one person. She also never thought that she would know right away that she would be perfectly content spending the next half-century with that person, if not longer; but then again, everything about La Push defied her previous conception of reality. Jacob felt the same; he had doubted for the longest time that he was ever going to imprint on someone. He figured Bella was his one and only. Two years previous he would have hesitated believing that one day he would find someone that defied every feeling he would have for Bella and that he would be increasingly more and more contented with someone else.

They ended up cuddling together lazily while talking about anything. The conversation ranged from what was said at the bonfire, to what they should do in the next little while and back to whether or not Jacob should teach Holly how to ride a motorcycle; which had previously been a tricky subject with him. Nevertheless, they were entirely consumed in the presence of each other.

"So what was bothering you at school today?" Jacob asked, remembering Holly's mood that morning. Holly had pushed the thought completely from her mind.

"It was nothing, really." Holly tried to close the door, but she knew it would be impossible with bull-headed Jacob standing in the way.

"Holly, come on, don't pull this now. Just tell me." Jacob joked, thinking that it was one of those little things that Holly got very worked up about. Truth be told, Jacob found it cute.

"It's just…" Holly's voice trailed off; it was as if she had no idea what she wanted to say. "Last night, before Billy came home…"

"Oh…" Jacob immediately remembered what had happened the night before. Jacob had walked in on her changing clothes and proceeded to take them off again. He knew what Holly was getting at right away and knew why she was speechless. Billy had came home just before anything else could have happened. "Yeah. Right."

"Well, what are you thinking?" Holly sat up; her face was flushed and she seemed very flustered, as if it was all she had been thinking about.

"I don't know really. I guess I'm just as lost as you are." Jacob was well aware that this was going to come up and that they needed to talk about it.

"First things first though…" Holly began nervously. "I guess I need to know. Are you a…? I mean, have you ever before?" Her face went a deep shade of red as she gnawed on her thumbnail.

Jacob shook his head. "No."

Holly froze; it was not the answer she had anticipated or hoped for. Completely spacing out from reality, her mind ventured back to previous years; back to when she lived in Vancouver. She thought about how different her adolescence must have been compared to Jacob's. Sex was nothing, it didn't mean anything nor did anyone take it seriously. Holly was jolted back to reality when Jacob asked the same question. "I… I…" Her words stumbled out of her mouth like an alcoholic's would have.

"Holly, just tell me. Please. Have you?" Jacob's eyes were filled with care, yet wonder. He knew what to expect, he knew that she had a past and he was more than willing to accept it. Jacob, however, did not want to hear a lie.

"I have, yes." Holly admitted under her breath, it looked as if there were tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Jacob looked away, concentrated on his thoughts. "Look, Jake, I know what you're thinking, and I'm sorry for doing this to you." Holly turned around and got up off the bed.

"What are you talking about, Hol'?" Jacob looked up as she gathered her things off the floor. "Where are you going?"

"I… I don't know." He knew she was sobbing now.

"Holly, come here." Jacob sat up, reached out and pulled her back onto his lap. "I don't understand why you're crying."

"You probably look at me a lot differently now, and I don't want you to waste your time if I'm not what you want." Holly could not bear to look at Jacob; her reaction was rash, but sensible, she knew that he would think of her less and she did not want to be a charity case. She knew she could make it on her own; at least she wanted to believe that she could.

"Why would you ever think that?" Jacob asked, offended at Holly's stubbornness. "Holly, you're all I want, no matter what you've done. I'm yours. You're mine. There's nothing else to it."

"How could someone ever love trash, Jacob?" Holly cried out. Jacob grabbed her face in his hands and turned it to face him.

"Holly, don't you ever call yourself trash again. You're anything but!" Jacob was growing more frustrated. "Look, I know you have a past that you regret, so what? I know you've gotten yourself into drugs, I understand that you've made mistakes but that does not change the way I feel about you. If it did, then I wouldn't truly love you. It's a part of _you_ and I love _you_." All he wanted was for her to understand and truly believe him, and the look that appeared in her eyes that very second told him that she did.

"It's not going to be the same though, I mean, when it does happen. I just want it to mean something. It's never meant anything to me." Holly admitted as Jacob wiped the little tears off her cheeks.

"I promise you," Jacob swore, "that when it does happen, it will mean something. It will mean the world to both of us." And with that he kissed her forehead and pulled her tighter against his chest. For the first time ever, Holly placed her emotions in someone else's hands; it made her smile, that's for sure.

"I have another question." Jacob asked with a quirky smile on his face.

"Shoot." Holly giggled.

"Are you going to come swimming tomorrow?" Jacob inquired; the smirk remained on his face.

"No." Holly laughed and dug her face into his shoulder.

"You're no fun," Jacob kidded, "Why not?"

"As fun as it looks," Holly sighed, "I'm terrified of water."

"What?" Jacob asked, surprised. It was something she had never mentioned.

"It's the only thing I'm scared of." Holly went on to explain; "About six months after I got Ty, my parents took us out to Tofino, a beach on the coast of Victoria island. I was about knee-deep in the water and I threw a stick in for him to chase, I had been doing it all afternoon, but, as we got further and further down I didn't notice the warning signs that were posted. I threw the stick in again and Ty ran in but didn't come out. An undertow had sucked him in and I didn't know what happened until I heard someone shouting not to go after him. Without even thinking I dove in and I don't know how I did it, because I was never a strong swimmer, but I found him jammed in between two rocks and I broke his paw when I pulled him out. As soon as I did I got sucked in to where he had been stuck. All I could think was to get his head above the water and it was the last thought I remembered until I woke up in a hospital about an hour outside of where we were. I was maybe thirteen? But I've never liked water since then."

"Seems reasonable enough." Jacob agreed. "What happened after that?"

"Well, I woke up with a cast on my leg and the first question I asked was if Ty was okay." Holly laughed. "My Mom freaked out, but I really didn't care if I was hurt as long as my puppy was alright. She called me an idiot and told me to never be that irrational again but then proceeded to tell me that Ty was fine and that they had taken him to an animal hospital to get a cast put on his paw. For the rest of the summer we had matching casts." She smiled from ear to ear.

"So you saved that dog? I don't think he likes me very much." Jacob joked.

"He is very protective of me. He thinks I'm his and I don't think he appreciates being stolen by the bigger, well, dog." Holly burst out laughing at her joke, throwing her head back. Jacob laughed too.

"Well, I guess he'll just have to get used to the new dog in town." Jacob joked, throwing Holly on the bed and tackling her gently. "Maybe it's my alpha-genes finally coming into play."

"What?" Holly asked, confused, as she wrapped her arms around his torso.

"Oh, well," Jacob slid on to his side with Holly still wrapped around him, "Technically I'm supposed to be the 'alpha' of the pack."

"But what about Sam?" Holly questioned.

"He made the change first, so he took the position as 'alpha' or whatever you want to call it, but as soon as the rightful leader made the change then Sam would have stepped down and the rightful leader would take his place." Jacob explained, playing with a piece of Holly's hair. "My great-grandfather was the leader of the tribe, so genetically I should follow in his footsteps and take over."

"Why didn't you?" Holly asked, appearing very interested.

"I don't know. I guess I figure Sam is more suited for the position. I can't ever see myself being a leader like he is. He's strong and intelligent and he took the change a lot better than I did. I mean, at the time I was not nearly as mature as I should have been. I guess I can blame Bella for that." Jacob admitted.

"I've always been one to try to give people chances, but I could never see myself accepting her." Holly confessed.

"I wouldn't expect you to. I don't think I could ever call her my friend again. As a matter of fact, I don't even think it is appropriate to call her Bella." Jacob agreed.

"Good." Holly paused for a moment. "I don't know how calm I'll be if I were to ever see her again."

"There will be no reason for you to ever see her again, so we don't have to worry about that." Jacob kissed the top of her head. He could only hope that they would never see her again. They spent the next few hours talking until the sound of Billy rolling through the front door interrupted them. Holly was surprised to hear her grandfather's thick, booming laugh following Billy.

"Ugh." Holly groaned into Jacob's chest. He kissed the top of her forehead and picked her up off of the bed. "I have legs you know."

"Sure, Sure." Jacob acknowledged Holly but didn't put her down until they got to the kitchen. "Thanks for bringing my Dad home, Mr. Juturna."

"No problem kid." Gordon said, standing just inside the front door. "So, Holly, you coming?"

"I guess." Holly looked up at Jacob. "Just give me a second." She walked back towards Jacob's bedroom and he followed a few steps behind her. On her second step into his room Holly spun around to face him and threw her arms around his neck; lifting herself up into his outstretched arms. "I wish I could stay with you tonight."

"You can… if you want." Jacob suggested.

"He won't leave until I come with him." Holly explained as she dug her face into Jacob's shoulder.

"Well, I see you tomorrow then, at school?" Jacob tried to satisfy Holly, even though he wasn't fully satisfied himself; it was going to be a long night without her.

"Yeah, you will." Holly sighed. "Let's go." And with that she kissed him softly on the lips, not parting for a few seconds.

"I love you." Jacob whispered.

"I love you too." A wide smile beamed from Holly's face as they walked back into the kitchen. Within two minutes she was gone with her grandfather. Jacob stood in the kitchen for a few minutes, leaning against the counter. It was so quiet; he couldn't stand it. Billy had already turned himself in for the night. It only took a moment for Jacob to realize he was not going spend the night without her. Without care for what Billy would tell him the next morning, Jacob ran out the front door.


	23. Harvest Moon Playlist Two

Alright, so it works the same as it did before. All the bolded songs are the most prevalent. I suggest downloading them all, they are all amazing works of art and encompass a variety of musical tastes. Just a small note, the two Paramore songs weren't chosen because they were on the actual Twilight movie soundtrack, they were actually decided upon before the soundtrack list was released (I've been working on this playlist for a while now :P) Enjoy :D

All Fall Down – One Republic

**All Or Nothing – Theory Of A Deadman**

**Anxiety – Black Eyed Peas**

**Anyone Else But You – Michael Cera & Ellen Page **

Audience Of One – Rise Against

Brighter – Paramore

Casting Such A Thin Shadow – Underoath

Closer – Kings Of Leon

Crashed – Chris Daughtry

Crush – David Archuleta

Decode – Paramore

Destiny – Zero 7

**Discovering The Waterfront – Silverstein **

Don't Forget – Demi Lovato

Dreaming With A Broken Heart – John Mayer

A Fault Line, A Fault Of Mine – Underoath

Forever May You Run – Gavin Rossdale

Hero – Nas Feat. Keri Hilson

**Hero/Heroine – Boys Like Girls**

I Can't Tell You Why – Eagles

I Caught Myself – Paramore

**I Wanna Be – Chris Brown**

Jesus – Brand New

**Love Remains The Same – Gavin Rossdale **

Overlap – Ani DiFranco

The Past Should Stay Dead – Emarosa

**Rangers – A Fine Frenzy**

Revelry – Kings of Leon

**Riot Girl – Good Charlotte**

Room Of Angel – Silent Hill

Run – Rex Goudie

Sea Of Love – Cat Power

Sex On Fire – Kings Of Leon

**Thinking Of You – Katy Perry**

This Could Be Anywhere In The World – Alexisonfire


	24. Chapter 22

It felt like mere moments until he was outside her house, standing in the forest, wearing only sweatpants. He strategically waited until all the lights had been off for at least fifteen minutes before scrambling across the beach to her window. Without hesitation he called her name.

"Holly?" A rustling of the blankets made Ty jump and turn to the window. A low growl erupted from under his breath.

"Jake." Holly sounded relieved when she acknowledged his presence.

"I'm coming in. Hold that dog." Jacob warned as prepared to toss himself through the window.

"What? Don't be loud." Holly giggled as she grabbed the edge of Ty's collar. Jacob, although his strength prevailed, his balance or grace did not improve after making the change. He effortlessly lifted himself up to the windows height but then toppled onto the floor of Holly's bedroom, almost knocking the massive oak boudoir over. Holly tried to stifle her laugh and Ty began to bark. "Shush." She warned, giving Ty a little tap on the butt.

"Shit." Jacob groaned on the floor, mangled in a very awkward position. "I didn't wake anyone did I?"

"Well, we'll soon find out." Holly smiled, letting go of Ty's collar who proceeded immediately to pounce on Jacob and sniff him.

"Should I leave?" Jacob whispered stiffly, letting the dog sniff him. Holly got up off the bed and walked to the door. She instinctively pushed the little lock into place and smiled.

"But you just got here." Jacob got up off the ground and, in two strides, scooped Holly up into his arms and jumped back into her bed. Within moments they were both sound asleep.

Holly loved sleeping with Jacob; she was always so comfortable in his arms, no matter how dense his muscles were. She also enjoyed being a stifling 102 degrees without a blanket. Holly also felt as if she were indestructible in his arms; as if nothing could come close to touching her and with Ty at the end of the bed, nothing was getting past.

Dawn broke into Holly's window sooner than she had hoped. Without a word, Jacob hopped up, kissed her gently and scooted out the window with impeccable speed. Within moments, he was gone.

"Ugh." She groaned in disappointment.

"Oof." Sounded Ty happily from the bottom of the bed.

"Jealousy is not flattering babe." And with that said, Holly hopped out of bed and to the bathroom soundlessly. She took an extra long shower knowing she had more than enough time. As soon as the water ran cold she jumped out and wrapped her giant fluffy purple towels around her body and hair. Lately she had little to no motivation to get ready; there had been no reason to impress anyone, Jacob didn't care and Justine scowled at her whether she was wearing heels or sweatpants so it didn't matter. Today, however, she felt different; almost normal, back to her old self. Holly actually loved getting ready, doing her hair, looking good all together. She grabbed her giant make-up case from under the sink and took it to her room. A layer of dust had formed on the top of it and she wiped it off with the towel that was wrapped around her body. She slipped into her matching housecoat and sat down to work just after plugging her iPod in. Setting her music to random, Spice Girls came on first, instantly putting her in a good mood. The next half hour she spent precariously applying makeup, giving her the smoky "Taylor from Gossip Girl" look. If the makeup had been put on someone like Leah, it would have looked a lot better; Holly had never been fully impressed with her features. It was as if everywhere she went she did not just blend in. Here she was easily the lightest toned kid in the whole school and in Vancouver she never seemed to match everyone else. It irritated her; sometimes she just wanted to be another face in the crowd. Next she did her hair, blow-drying it to perfection she took out her scissors and decided to give herself bangs for the first time in two years. They sat just covering the top of her eyelids and she finished her hair off by straightening it. Examining herself in the mirror she realized that it was time to pull out the extensions that she had not used since moving here. She had always had long hair but the extensions made it stand out and gave it a very unnatural thickness. Today, she was going to stand out.

Once she was finished with her hair and makeup she opened her boudoir that Jacob had almost knocked over. She was instantly distracted by something that peaked out from behind the massive piece. She slid it out just enough to be reminded of what was behind; a large painting of the wolf's eyes whom she now realized were Jacob's. She had painted them after the first encounter with the large wolf that came to visit her every night. Holly giggled as she remembered how baffled she was by the whole experience. Sliding the boudoir back in place she was relieved that Jacob had not seen it. She had always been very conscious of people criticizing her art even though she knew it was amazing. Turning back to her clothing she picked out one of her dads old flannel shirts. It was red and black plaid and smelt like him. Shrugging into it she though carefully what she should wear with it. Sliding on black tights and fastening a wide-patented black belt around her waist almost completed it. Her six-inch black-patented ankle boots gave her height. That was another thing about Holly that made everyone turn his or her heads. La Push was never a very fashionable place; they all wore the same things every week to a point where it made Holly's head spin with dullness. Holly, on the other hand, rarely wore the same thing twice and the clack of her heels made everyone know she was coming. For a while she turned to her less-bodacious Uggs but she was feeling the heels today. She found them just as easy to walk in, confusing Leah to the point of insanity.

She went out into the kitchen earlier than usual to catch breakfast. The moment she walked into the kitchen, Gordon piped up at her appearance.

"What the hell did you do to your hair, child?" He spat out just as he was setting down his coffee.

"I think it's adorable, Munch!" Her Nana commented, running her fingers along the perfect line of hair that lined Holly's face.

"You look… grungy." Gordon sat disgusted as Loreen examined Holly more closely.

"That's the point, Dad," Fran explained as she walked into the kitchen yawning. "Grunge is a bonified fashion statement and I think she looks ferosh, like an animal." Fran growled at Holly and poured herself a cup of coffee.

"Ferosh? What are you talking about?" Gordon questioned, more than slightly confused.

"Ferocious." The three women said in unison as if he should have known.

"Obvi." Loreen joked, patting her oblivious husbands' back.

Jacob arrived at school along with Embry and Quil a little earlier than expected. They immediately went to Jacob and Holly's locker; he was the only one that needed anything. Quil collapsed against the locker as soon as they stopped.

"Man, I hate mornings. What's the deal, why can't we start at like noon?" Quil whined. "Like, I can't handle this morning shit. Especially after patrolling all night."

"Well, some of us phase for no reason during the night." Embry commented, looking immediately at Jacob. He must have heard him dashing to Holly's house. "Making a midnight trip somewhere, Jacob?" Quil immediately burst out laughing.

"Bow chicka wow-wow." Quil joked along with providing some inappropriate gestures.

"Guys, really." Jacob blushed.

"So it happened?" Embry, for once, was just as curious as Quil.

"No!" Jacob exclaimed, "I just slept there –…" Interrupting Jacob's explanation was the clacking sound of heels coming up the stairs. Three seconds later, Holly emerged from the stairwell and everyone's necks were on the verge of snapping as they watched her waltz down the hall. Jacob immediately noticed that she had done something different. She was wearing make-up, for one, and her hair looked strangely different. He knew she loved dressing up but at the same time he didn't have a preference whether she did or not. Today, however, was different. She looked, well, amazing, for lack of a better word to describe it. Embry and Quil's jaws were to the floor at the sight of Holly.

"And you can honestly say you haven't tapped that?" Quil mumbled to Jacob.

"I can't even hit him for that, Jake." Embry admitted; even he was floored by how hot she was. Jacob was speechless until Holly flashed her impeccable, gleaming white smile.

"Morning guys." She greeted them cheerfully as she threw her bag into the opened locker. She was acting as if she didn't know everyone would now have to go to a chiropractor from turning his or her heads so far around.

"Morning." The three echoed in unison.

"Uhh, Jake, I think we are going to head down to the garage." Embry finally said, "We'll see you there." Jacob nodded at them and they turned towards the stairwell, frequently looking back at Holly. Jacob couldn't blame them; she was unreal at this present moment a figment of their imagination.

"You look…" Jacob started and stopped; he couldn't think of a word to encompass her appearance.

"Does it look bad? I wasn't sure." Holly immediately spun around to face him, toying with her bangs self-consciously. Jacob just nodded in approval; she rendered him speechless once more. "I cut them." Holly explained; thinking that Jacob might not have noticed the change.

"I know." Jacob finally let out. "Your hair… is… longer?"

"Extensions."

"And you're eyes are…?"

"Make-up."

"And you look…"

"Taller."

"Yes, but…" School was the last place Jacob wanted to be right now.

"What, Jake?" Holly chuckled, "Spit it out." And with that he pushed her against the locker and whispered in her ear,

"You look so sexy." Jacob was never one to give compliments like that, it was more Quil's thing, but at that moment, that's exactly was she encompassed.

"You're hilarious." Holly giggled, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I'm not joking." Jacob breathed down her neck as she kissed his jaw line.

"Yes, you are. You are just trying to make me feel better." Holly mused.

"I would take all of this," Jacob tugged at the side of her shirt-dress thing, "off. Right now. If I could."

"You're extremely forward today," Holly whispered, "I love it." The bell sounded, Jacob sighed irritably. Holly kissed him, square on the lips, in from of everyone and walked to class without saying another word, leaving Jacob standing there unable to catch his breath.

After being harassed by just about every guy in his auto class over how lucky he was, Jacob was feeling pretty good about himself. He hurried to change into his bathing suit and rushed into the pool. Immediately noticing Holly sitting in the bleachers, smiling at his presence. Just as he was about to walk up to her, the teacher blew the whistle. Jacob pouted towards Holly and she mouthed, "Later," making him smile endlessly.

Holly watched them swim back and forth for the entire class and it made her stomach turn. She was glad that her teacher had given her the option of writing an essay on water safety instead of making her suit up and plunge to her worst fear. After the class was done, Holly walked with Leah into the change room, being extra careful not to slip. As soon as they turned the corner to the main part of the room, Holly heard a comment that made her boil inside.

"Now I get it," Justine exclaimed to her posse, "He likes her because she's an easy fuck. Did you see what she was wearing today?" Holly could feel her pores expanding and panicked. She was going to phase. Leah noticed her anxiety right away, pulled her into a bathroom stall, and slapped her hard across the face.

"Cool it." Leah hissed. "Just walk out." Holly nodded, fists still clenched. Leah walked her to the door and pushed her out, giving her a chance to breathe as soon as she was in the hallway. Holly leaned against the wall and breathed deeply, trying to control her anger. She hated this, hated having to be controlled. It made her feel like a mental patient. Minutes later, Jacob, Quil, Embry and Carter emerged from the change room giving Holly a bit of relief. They would calm her down. While waiting for Leah to come out, Justine and her posse pushed their way through all of them.

"Maybe she doesn't go swimming because she's hiding something." One of them wondered rather loudly in passing.

"An STD?" Justine laughed, "I wouldn't expect anything less from her caliber of slut." Holly was done. She pushed away from all the guys, grabbed the back of Justine's shirt, flipped her around and punched her so hard it made everyone who was watching head's spin. Justine immediately began to fall over, but Holly grabbed her just before she hit the ground and punched her again while holding her against the locker.

"You finished?" Holly asked calmly. Justine just nodded shakily and swallowed hard as Holly dropped her from five inches above the ground. Leah, who had just emerged from the change room, froze. Everyone else was just starring. The moment Holly began to shake, Jacob and Embry grabbed her and threw her out the nearest door. Leah ran after them. Expecting her to phase, Embry and Jacob were trying to get her to the forest as fast as they could.

"Stop it! Let go of her." Leah screeched from behind them. "She's fine, just give her a minute." Immediately Jacob and Embry dropped Holly. After a few seconds, Holly was calm again.

"I'm fine." Jacob was still a little anxious as he thought of the worst. "Really." They all stared at Holly for a few moments. Her eyes were closed and her hands were placed on her hips. Her breathing was obvious and steady, as she made sure she was calm enough to walk back inside. She could feel her heels sinking into the ground and it was irritating her. "I'm ruining my shoes, lets go inside."

"You sure, Holly?" Embry reassured. Jacob could barely say anything he was so on edge.

"Positive. I'm fine." She guaranteed as she began to walk inside on her tiptoes, trying to not sink into the grass beneath her. The three waited for a moment until they heard the clack of her heels on the pavement in front of the door. She did not wait for them before going inside. Embry shrugged to Jacob and they followed her inside.

The rest of the day was filled with tension. Everyone was talking about how Holly went psychotic at something Justine had said. The story had changed a million times by the end of last period and Jacob was about ready to rip everyone's heads off. When the bell rang, Holly couldn't make it to her car fast enough, Jacob would find her soon enough. A feeling of relief consumed her as she hid behind the almost-illegal tint of her windows waiting for Jacob. Within moments he was in the car and they were out of the parking lot before he could even say anything.

"What?" Holly hissed at Jacob. "Just say it."

Jacob sighed heavily, hoping that he didn't have to bring anything up. "You can't do that, Holly."

"Oh please." Holly whined irritably. "She deserved it."

"You don't get it." Jacob began to tremble in the seat. Holly instinctively pulled over to the side of the tree-lined road and parked the car. Before she could turn to Jacob, he was out of the car and into the forest. Irritably, Holly got out of the car and followed him. When she found him a few steps into the forest his hand was clutching a tree and he had his back turned to her. She didn't say a word. It took him a few moments to regain composure. "You can't act like that."

"I can act how I feel is appropriate." Holly argued impulsively. "I don't see why this is so bad. You heard what she said about me!"

"And there was nothing I wanted more than to rip her head off!" Jacob whipped around and yelled directly into Holly's face. He leant over her stiffly with the heat of rage in his eyes. "But you just can't do that!"

"And why not, Jacob, why can't I!?" She did not back down from his intrusive actions. She was not going to cower in response to his rage.

"Because, Holly, how bad do you think it would have been if you phased right there? I saw you trembling, you were only seconds away from losing control!" Jacob blamed Holly harshly. "And I am not looking forward for what's going to happen when Sam finds out what you've done." Holly had not anticipated the repercussions of her actions. He was right, if she had phased it would have been disastrous. Not only would it have affected her, it would have had an impact of everyone in the pack. She could have killed someone. "You've seen how easy it happens Holly, just look at Emily."

"What's going to happen to me?" Holly worried. She knew that was a sensitive subject with Sam. She could not imagine what he was going to do to her.

"Nothing." Jacob caught the glimpse of fear in her eyes right away. "I won't let him do anything. You've learned your lesson. But he is going to be mad, furious even." He embraced her constrictively. "And I'm sorry for yelling at you." Jacob had not realized how harsh he had been.

"I did deserve it." Holly admitted, as she was pressed against his chest.

"No, I can never justify being harsh with you." Jacob regretted. They stood there for a few minutes, consumed within each other, and forgetting everything that had been said. It made her feel better to know Jacob was there even though he was upset with her. Regardless of what she had done, he was still there and that thought comforted her.

They spent the majority of their evening in Jacob's bedroom consumed in each other. Everything was great until Holly asked a question that Jacob had not expected, "Are we going to the winter formal?"

"What?" Jacob went rigid.

"I asked if we were going to the winter formal." Holly repeated herself, "I would like to go."

"I don't dance." Jacob said. Holly felt that this was going to be out of the question.

"I think it will be fun. I've never been to a true formal before." Holly pried, expecting Jacob to give in.

"Not a chance." Jacob put his foot down. He was not going to the dance and that was that. They sat in a tensed silence for a few moments until Holly got up. She slipped her boots back on and grabbed her bag off the floor. Jacob could hear her digging through the contents of her purse until she pulled out her keys. "Where are you going?"

"Home." Holly said sullenly.

"Holly, please." Jacob whined irritably.

"I have to eat and change. I'm on patrol tonight." Jacob had completely forgotten that tonight was going to be her first night on patrol.

"I'm coming with you." Jacob decided.

"You can't, Jake. I actually have to learn to do things like this by myself." Holly said. Jacob knew that she was right.

"For once, can you just not argue?" Jacob begged, following her into the kitchen. Billy was lazing in front of the television. "It will make me feel a lot better."

"Is this about Sam? You want to make sure he doesn't go psychotic." Holly accused as they walked out of the house.

"A little, not going to lie." Jacob admitted. His protective instincts were coming into play. H "I am going to come either way."

"You're so difficult." Holly grumbled as she unlocked her door.

"Never said this was going to be easy." Jacob smiled as she opened the door. She paused for a moment and stared at him.

"If I say yes…" Holly started; she had a strange look in her eye, conniving almost. "Will you take me to the formal?"

"Out of the question." Jacob shook his head; she was not going down without a fight. "I'll see you tonight."

"Ugh." Holly sighed as she got in her car. Within seconds she was out of sight and Jacob was back in the house. He was _not _going to the formal.


	25. Chapter 23

The pack met in a clearing not too far off the border of La Push and Forks. One by one everyone arrived; Leah and Seth completed the group, showing up just after midnight. Sam took his place in the center of the pack, everyone had already phased, but to Holly it felt like they were all still human. She could hear everyone talking, only now she could hear everyone's thoughts as well. She felt like Sookie Stackhouse from the True Blood television series she had recently gotten herself addicted too. Jacob stood across from her in the circle although she could tell he wanted to be beside her. She guessed he was trying to give her space. A look of relief came across his face when she motioned for him to come stand beside her. As soon as he took his spot, Sam began to speak in his authoritative tone. Everything about him was serious.

"We all know why we've gathered here this evening, although I apologize to those who aren't supposed to be on duty." Paul grunted at Sam's acknowledgement. Holly assumed it was supposed to be his night off and she suddenly felt a wave of remorse. "Don't worry about it Holly," Sam assured, feeling her guilt, "Paul will get over it. Anyways, if anyone's ignorance has gotten in the way, the reason you are here is because it's Holly's first night on duty. Please, for those who are shifted with her over the next few weeks, make sure that she is confident in what she is doing although I have little doubt of her abilities. She seems to have adapted…" Sam paused for a moment, "relatively well so far. I expect you all be on your best behavior and be patient when teaching her the routes as you all know how tedious it is remembering them all. Now I won't keep you any longer; disperse you mongrels." Everyone laughed at Sam's joke and they all ran in separate directions with the exception of Jacob, Leah, and Jared.

"Now, on a more serious note." Sam turned towards Holly. "I understand that you had a little _run in_ with Justine Koshamp, is that correct?" Holly nodded her head and rolled her eyes at the same time. "This is a serious issue, Holly, please realize that." Jacob nudged her and nodded his head. "You can't go around knocking every person that says something rude out, Holly, think of what could have happened. Even as a human you're strength increases once you've made the change. If that situation got out of hand it would bring grave consequences for the entire pack, are you will to take that risk?" Holly looked at her feet, if there was one thing she hated more than anything, it was being scolded. "Don't let it happen again. I won't be as forgiving next time."

"Sorry." Holly mumbled, not giving Sam one glance. He nodded in acknowledgment.

"Now, Jake, I am assuming you will be following her tonight? Even though it's your night off." Sam said, as Jacob was still present in the clearing.

"You guessed correctly Sam." Jacob agreed. Everyone chuckled. "I won't sleep if I'm at home, so I mine as well be out with her, right?"

"Sounds reasonable enough. Just don't get distracted." Sam joked and with that everyone was off in separate directions. Jacob and Holly set off along the tree-lined northern border of the reservation. Jacob explained everything from where the borders ran, to the various calls, to what Holly should do if ever encountered by something strange or threatening. She already knew what a vampire looked like, as she had already seen Bella up close. Just the name made Jacob cringe and Holly felt his tension right away. Seeing him in pain made her stomach turn; she hated that more than being scolded. Just as the sun began to rise Paul, who took over the northern border for the day, met Holly and Jacob. Together they ran back to Jacob's house to get ready for school.

"This sucks hard." Holly grumbled as she entered Jacob's bedroom after her shower. His towel was far too big for her and almost hit the floor even when wrapped around her body twice. Sue Clearwater had sewn three giant towels for him just so Jacob had one that wrapped around him properly.

"You get used to it." Jacob yawned. He had already showered and was now lying outstretched across his bed. "Besides, you will get less shifts than the rest of us, just like Leah does."

"Really? Why?" Holly asked as she pulled out some of her clothes from her designated drawer, trying to remember what she had stored there. "And please don't tell me it's because we are girls."

"Well, yes and no, it's not just because you are girls. It's mainly because we would rather take an extra shift that to deal with your crankiness anymore than necessary." Jacob chuckled until he was hit square in the forehead by one of his shoes.

"Why do we patrol? I don't see any immediate threat." Holly asked as she pulled some underwear and grey sweatpants on; the ones she had gotten from her old school.

"Sam's just taking precautions since the run in with the newborns last year." Holly had remembered the story from the bonfire. As weird and awful as it sounded, it gave her a rush of adrenaline; it almost sounded exciting. That is, until she heard that Jacob almost broke every bone in his body and then had to get them re-broken because by the time they had gotten him home, he had already started to heal. She remembered Leah's guilty glance over to Jacob when Billy told that part of the story. "You can never be to careful when you have a clan of bloodsuckers living in the next town."

"I guess you're right." Holly agreed as she finished getting dressed by pulling one of Jacob's black sweaters over her head.

"I'm trying to convince Sam to not make you patrol at all." Jacob admitted, sitting up on the bed.

"Why?" Holly flung herself around to face Jacob. Her face twisted into a look of confusion.

"I don't want you out there. It makes me uneasy Hol'" Jacob reached over and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her into his lap.

"I'll be fine." She reassured him.

"That's what you think." Jacob looked into her eyes. Holly could easily read his growing concern. "Please, just be careful. If you ever get nervous, even at the slightest, call for someone if not me."

"Jake… really."

"Holly, promise me." Jacob pleaded.

"I promise." Holly swore with a kiss on his forehead.

Embry picked them up at the usual time and Holly curled herself into Jacob's lap for the duration of the drive. She could already feel her head bobbing and her eyes getting heavy. First period was decent to sit through; the racket created from all the instruments kept Holly awake but second period was going to be hell. She walked extra slow from the orchestra room, around the outside of the building, and through the community center doors to avoid having to go through the change room. She waited at the pool bleachers for someone to come out. Carter and Leah emerged from the change rooms first and they met Holly in the bleachers. Holly zoned in and out of their conversation until one topic in particular sparked her interest.

"So are you two going to the formal?" Carter asked.

"I think I might, I don't know, I've never really gone to one. If we get everyone to go I think it'll be fun. What about you Holly?" Leah asked. Holly continued to stare at the door.

"Jacob doesn't want to go. He made it pretty clear." She said disappointedly. She really wanted to go, but Jacob crushed any slightest chance of her going.

"Go without him. You can come with us." Carter proposed, shrugging his shoulders. "I want to go."

"Maybe." Holly suddenly felt encouraged to go. She didn't need Jacob to have fun, or did she? At that moment Jacob emerged from the change room; Holly regarded his grease-stained hands from the bleachers and smiled. His hair was hanging in his eyes in a straggled fashion. That was exactly how she liked him; shirtless and grubby. He hopped up to where they were sitting in three steps.

"Jake, lighten up and come to the formal." Carter joked. "Your girlfriend really wants to go." He winked.

"She knows I don't want to." Jacob said casually, resting his head on Holly's knee.

"I think I am going to go anyway." Holly decided with a smile plastered across her face. Jacob just looked at her; she couldn't quite decipher his expression. It was a mix between shock and disappointment. The whistle sounded and Jacob kissed her forehead without saying a word. The three walked to the edge of the pool, leaving Holly to sit by herself. She couldn't wait until the swimming classes were over but at the same time, she found herself dozing off. Jacob was right; girls did need their sleep.

At lunch, Holly and Jacob sat in silence with everyone else. Holly picked at the sandwich she had prepared just before they left the house that morning; she wasn't that hungry. The rest of the day dragged on, Holly couldn't be more excited that it was Friday. She ended up falling asleep on Jacob's shoulder in English during the movie they were watching and she feared painting in art; she didn't want to make her canvas sloppy with her droopy hand. By the end of the day, Holly could barely walk. At the locker, Jacob noticed her lack of energy and carried her outside on his back. Holly was so tired that she didn't even argue.

Holly woke hours later, in her own bed, and wrapped in Jacob's grasp. The grey outside had been replaced with dusk and she guessed he had left and came back. Ty sat restless and the bottom of her bed, Jacob's feet were invading his space. It was mere moments until she was asleep again; her fatigue had gotten the best of her.


	26. Chapter 24

Hey guys! After finally being able to login to this website I've uploaded two chapters so before going to read this one, make sure you've read the previous one before this one.

Oh and just an update on Jayme (owner of the account, the one that writes everything else), they sadly had to send their computer away to be fixed (brand new computer too. ugh.) so it will be a few weeks until she is able to get on. SORRY! (L)

Anyways. Here it is. :D

Enjoy! I know I did writing it

* * *

Weeks passed by quickly and before the pack could blink their eyes the reservation was covered with a thick blanket of crisp white snow. The trees had lost all colours for the most part and the water had developed a thin layer of ice along the coastline. Holly had never seen a more beautiful landscape; Vancouver had experienced the worst of snowstorms, but the pollution of the city caused it to turn grey and unbeautiful, much unlike La Push.

Holly continued patrolling, much to Jacob's dismay and she spent a lot of time running; an activity she had taken up once again in order to get back into shape. Everyone shook their heads and her sudden health-kick; they all knew there was no need but was supportive of her constant craving for activity. They went tobogganing more than they had ever in their lives with her around and she often dragged one or two of them along with her for a run early in the morning. On the weekends the entire pack would get together to play rugby for fun and Holly would destroy them all. At first the guys were a little apprehensive when it came to tackling her but as soon as they witnessed her taking Quil out at the sidelines, they realized there was no need to go easy on her. She was easily the fastest of them all, even in her human form, and would often outrun them, making her the most desirable player to have on the team. The games were the greatest when her and Jacob were on opposite teams; he was the only one who could come remotely close to catching her. Never the less winter was proving to be the greatest season for activity.

With the coming of winter, Jacob realized they were approaching Christmas and with Christmas came the winter formal. Holly was going, as was Leah, Seth and Embry, and much to Jacob's dismay, Carter had made it clear that he was driving Holly to the dance. Lately, Carter had been getting on Jacob's nerves; he always seemed to be in his space when it came to Holly. Whenever they invited him places along with the pack, he was in constant competition with Jacob and always trying to prove himself even though he failed horribly every time. Whenever they were just hanging out, Carter was always near Holly, talking to Holly or praising her for something. Holly had noticed the sudden increase in attention from Carter as well. She tried to make it as obvious as possible that they were just friends and nothing else and whenever they were all together, she made the effort to always be touching Jacob. Whether she was kissing his cheek, had her hand in his back pocket or sitting in his lap; they tried to make it very obvious that they were together. Carter, however, didn't seem to get it.

The day Carter had proposed to drive Holly to the dance came with a shock to Jacob. They all knew that the formal was a soft spot between the two and Carter used it to his advantage. Holly had just bought a new dress, shoes, and was all ready to go. She was talking to Leah about it one day and Carter overheard. He happily offered, no, told her that he would drive her to the dance since Jacob was not going. Jacob could have torn his head off but restrained and excused himself to go outside for some air. Holly obliged politely – she did need a ride – but at the same time she really wished she didn't have to.

Before Jacob knew it, the night of the dance arrived. It was the last day of school before Christmas holiday and Holly had gone home promptly after last period to begin getting ready.

"Can I just come?" Jacob begged as he followed Holly out of the school towards her car. "I promise I won't bother you."

"Maybe if you were coming I would let you, but you aren't, so no." Holly had put her foot down, much like Jacob did when he refused to attend the formal. "Besides, Leah and I are having a girls date."

"Yeah Jake, girls only." Leah joked as they got into Holly's car. Jacob stood at the driver's window with a sorry look on his face.

"Leah, you're mouth is not appreciated at this present moment." Jacob said irritably.

"Well, I will see you tomorrow. Call me in the morning." Holly told him as she started the car. "I love you." And with that they were out of the parking lot. Jacob just stood in the same spot, angry at his stubbornness. It wasn't until Embry called out to him from the jeep that he moved.

Holly and Leah sped home to get started. Leah was clueless in the sense of make-up and hair styling. Her long black hair hung straight down her back or in a ponytail. If she was feeling creative that day, it would be in French braids, but that's as far as she went. Holly had agreed to do her hair and make-up and help pick out a dress; in other words, Holly was her own personal stylist. The dress they picked out was a strapless, off-white, floor-length, silk gown with a low cut, encrusted with silver sparkles along the breast line. Leah's caramel coloured skin glowed beneath the soft colour of the dress and she looked gorgeous just standing in the change room in Seattle. Holly felt a pang of jealousy when Leah had emerged from the dressing room in one of the department stores just radiating with beauty but, regardless, she was excited that Leah found a dress she both liked and looked fantastic in.

Holly knew from the moment Leah put the dress on how she was going to do her hair. She set Leah up in the kitchen with a towel wrapped around her. She sprayed her hair with the squirt bottle to dampen it a bit and began to snip random strands where she felt necessary, shaping Leah's hair in attempts to frame her face. Holly then turned to Leah's bangs and cut them so they swayed nicely to the side of her face. Leah's thick hair proved frustrating to dry and took a little longer than Holly expected. She then curled Leah's hair into a soft wave that fell just past her shoulders; she had cut a lot of hair off. Leah was amazed at Holly's innovation and expertise. Holly figured it was because La Push lacked a decent barbershop. Holly did her own hair next. By the time she had her extensions in, atop her head was a massive mound of crazy curls that flowed well past her shoulders. Within twenty minutes, Leah's makeup was flawless and her face radiated with a soft pink glow. Holly was inspired by old Hollywood for her makeup. She lined her eyes with a thick, flawless line of liner and painted her face with bold, blushed cheeks. Her bright, fire engine red lips completed her face.

No one had seen Holly's dress at this point besides her. Leah was all ready and waiting in the living room when Holly emerged wearing a floor-length, red satin gown. It was low along the breast line like Leah's but had a red ribbon that created a halter around her neck. It wasn't until she spun around that everyone's jaw dropped. The dress was backless and the fabric sat just above her toned hipline. She was flawless in everyone's eyes. Her grandmother and mother clapped in approval and smiled from ear to ear. On Holly's feet was her treasured patented Christian Louboutin, opened-toed, six-inch pumps decked with the signature red sole. She felt they completed her outfit.

Within five minutes, Carter was at their house in his Mother's black Suburban and they were off.

Jacob sat at home in a sullen silence as Billy made spaghetti. He lounged on the sofa flipping through the thirteen channels that actually came in with decent reception; their satellite cable had gone a-wall and was away getting fixed. It only added to the list of reasons that contributed to his terrible mood.

"Stop sitting there, feeling sorry for yourself," Billy sounded from the kitchen, "you're the reason this happened."

"I didn't ask for your input." Jacob snapped back, finally setting on a channel comprised entirely of infomercials.

"I don't care." Billy lectured, "You get your ass off that couch and do something to fix what you screwed up."

"What do you mean?" Jacob asked growing more and more agitated.

"What I mean is, brush your hair, get some decent clothes on and get your ass to that formal. Sometimes we have to do things that we don't have to do in order to make women happy. That's something you haven't quite accepted yet." Billy was sounding more and more right and Jacob hated it. It was a pet peeve of his to admit that Billy was right. "And when you get home, I won't be here." That was that; nothing more had to be said in order for Jacob to understand what he meant. With a low grumble Jacob hopped off the couch and into the shower. Just before closing the bathroom door he heard Billy claim victory, "You'd think after time and time again of losing you'd realize that I always prevail."

At the formal, Holly was actually having a good time. Leah and her, along with another group of girls she had become acquaintances with, were dancing and laughing while Embry and Carter attempted to keep time. Embry wasn't terrible but Carter was brutal. Everyone had praised Holly and Leah for their stunning appearances and many of the girls felt intimidated by their beauty. When the slow songs came on, however, Holly felt her heart ache; she wanted Jacob there. e He winked

Embry danced with her first dance to take her mind off being lonely which Holly greatly appreciated but once the second one came on, she could barely take it. Embry was swinging Leah around the dance floor with impeccable grace; Embry, in Holly's eyes, was the ultimate gentleman. With a swift pang of jealousy for all the couples embraced in each other's arms on the floor, Holly walked out of the gym to the foyer where she sighed deeply. She thought she was alone until a voice sounded from beside her.

"Hey you." Carter greeted, taking a spot leaning against the wall beside her.

"Hi Carter." Holly acknowledged, turning her face to the ground.

"I hate when you look sad." Carter admitted, his face going red. "I wish I could be the one that makes you happy, Holly. Jacob doesn't seem to be doing a good job of it."

"Excuse me?" Holly shot her face to his, a look of anger in her eyes.

"Don't get all defensive, it's just…" Carter sighed, "I think we're a better match."

"Well, Carter, you're wrong." Holly turned away and began walking back towards the gym, her heels clacking against he ground. Carter grabbing her wrist stopped her.

"Holly, he needs to get his shit sorted out!" Carter began to raise his voice in irritation. "The kid's fucked up!"

"Get your hands off of her." A voice sounded from behind Carter, they weren't the only ones in the foyer. Jacob emerged into Holly's view and her heart melted. He was dressed in a pair of black dress pants and shoes. A crisp white shirt was unbuttoned at the top, revealing his copper skin and toned chest. He was struggling to remain calm at the sight of Carter's hands on her. "I mean it." With that Carter let go of Holly's arm and huffed back into the gym.

"I'll drive you home after the dance Holly." Was the last thing Carter said before Jacob squashed his plan once more.

"I got it. Thanks." Jacob stood completely still, starring Carter down in an intimidating fashion. Within seconds, Carter was out of sight, lost in the crowd of people that danced in the gym. Jacob and Holly stood two meters apart for a few moments, faces turned to their feet, unsure of what to say. "You look unbelievable." Holly looked up and smiled, a tear welling in the corner of her eye. "Spin around, let me see this bombshell dress." Holly choked and giggled and spun around slowly. When Jacob's eyes floated to her bare, toned back he was speechless.

"You like it?" Holly asked in a cute voice. It was as if she was not completely sure of herself.

"I love it." Jacob smiled and stepped towards her, taking her in his arms and kissing her. "I'm sorry I'm not up to par."

"Just showing up here makes my night." Holly admitted. Her happiness radiated from her smile. "It wouldn't matter what you were wearing." Together they walked into the gymnasium, hand in hand. Embry and Leah caught one glance of them and were smiling from ear to ear. Embry gave Jacob an acknowledging nod and Jacob returned to gesture.

"Can I have this dance?" Jacob turned to ask Holly, placing his hand out in front of her.

"I thought you didn't dance." Holly questioned, taking Jacob's outstretched hand.

"I make special exceptions." He said, twirling her under his arm. She deserved to be twirled elegantly. Together they danced in one spot, around and around; Jacob rested his forehead on the top of her head and she stood very close to his chest, taking in the smell of his freshly showered body. It was better than any cologne. "I love you."

"I love you too, Jake." Holly replied as she took her glance to meet his.

Before they knew it the formal was over and Jacob lead Holly out to the Rabbit. In front of them were Embry and Leah linked arm and arm, making Holly and Jacob almost curl over in laughter. As they reached the cars, Leah turned her head over her shoulder and said goodbye to both of them. She was getting a ride with Embry, leaving Carter without anyone to drive home. Jacob noticed him sulking up against his Mother's Suburban and flashed a victorious smile his way.

Jacob opened the door for Holly before getting in himself. The engine roared to life immediately and they were off into the darkened road back towards Jacob's.

"Are we going to your place?" Holly asked.

"Yes." Jacob said. He felt nervous as he pulled into the empty driveway – Billy kept true to his word. Jacob pulled into the garage and carried Holly to the house so she didn't ruin her shoes. The main room was dark and lifeless and the only light came through the kitchen window. It was spooky when there were no lights on.

"Where's Billy?" Holly asked, taking her shoes off her feet. Jacob could only see the shadow of her movement.

"I think he might have gone to Charlie's." Jacob looked at his feet; a lump formed in his throat. "He'll probably be gone all night." He regarded a smile on Holly's half moonlit face. Without another word they found them selves enveloped in a passionate kiss. Jacob was glad it was dark just so Holly didn't see the nerves protrude from his expression. A few moments passed until Jacob pulled her up into his arms. Holly continued to kiss Jacob as he carried her to his bedroom. The moonlight poured through the window, creating an ambiance Jacob couldn't have planned. He placed her on her feet and they parted.

His eyes shifted from hers down to the tips of her toes, pausing for a few moments here and there as he absorbed every curve he could see on her body, making Holly shiver in excitement. She felt a rush of blood colour her cheeks more than her blush ever could. He took a step towards her and placed his trembling hands on the small of her back. She shivered again right as he pressed his lips on her once more. He had never kissed her the way he did then; she could tell his nerves were taking over. There was immediacy in his lips, a kind of fierce desire to have her. She felt the immediacy flowing through her veins as well and could feel it leading her hands to the buttons of his shirt. Jacob's hands gripped her tighter and his nerves seemed to be replaced by adrenaline as she slowly undid his shirt button by button. Their kiss deepened without pause as she slid his shirt off his shoulders and pressed her body against his bare chest. Holly was so close Jacob could feel her pulse. With little hesitation, Jacob slid his hands to the nape of her neck, pulling her face closer to his. She tickled her fingers down his spine, feeling the goose bumps form on his boiling skin under her touch. For a moment she felt his fingers circling her neck and before she knew it the ribbon that was tied at the nape of her neck was untied. It wasn't until the dress fell to her feet that she realized this was actually going to happen and that Jacob actually wanted it to.

There was nothing awkward about Holly standing there with no clothing on. Jacob had seen her like that before but she looked different that night. She stood in front of him with a seductive confidence that made him tremble. This time, she kissed Jacob passionately with her hands rested on his hips. He kissed her back just as fervently. Holly broke their lip lock as she reached to undo Jacob's belt. He breathed with an iron-heavy chest as she kissed down his torso. She felt as if she could never stop as she kissed back up his chest and to his face. By now Jacob's pants and boxers were in a pool on the floor, just like Holly's dress. Their hearts raced wildly as they continued to kiss more and more aggressively.

Without being able to restrain himself, Jacob threw Holly on the unmade bed without breaking their lips apart. His hands flew up and down her sides, gripping her body with vigor every time she touched him in a different way. She was driving him crazy. Her fingers were entangled in his long black hair that hung like a curtain, hiding their faces from everything around them. Jacob pulled back suddenly causing Holly to jump. Their breathing stuttered in the silent house; there was no sound for miles that they could hear. For a moment they sat gazing into each other's eyes, a heat of passion and aggression radiating from both. Holly could see his hesitation and it comforted her. She knew that what he was worried about was her. Holly hushed Jacob as he began to speak, placing her finger on his lips and kissing him with reassurance; there was nothing to be worried about. Within mere moments, all their cares and worries disappeared. They were together, consumed in one another, and it was more than just a beautiful thing… it was love.


	27. Chapter 25

I apologize for the delay, and the short length of this chapter.

It just had to be cut here or else it would have been far too long.

Story is taking a turn; prepare yourselves

* * *

The weeks following the formal were as normal as any, with the exception of the fact that Holly and Jacob had grown indefinitely closer, if it was even possible. Holly continued taking her turn patrolling and Jacob was still unhealthily not okay with it. In gym class, the tension between Holly and Justine had subsided; Justine had decided to completely avoid her all together, a smart move on her behalf. Holly also found herself growing closer to Embry, Quil and Leah; it was unusual for Holly to actually take to people, let alone find herself making friends. Embry and Leah had also grow indefinitely closer since the formal; causing a stir in the pack. Nevertheless their lives had developed into distinct routine that everyone was perfectly content with following.

Christmas was a busy time for everyone; visiting from house to house, various dinners with various families and people and Holly and Jacob spending their first actual holiday together. Jacob had been nervous as to what to get Holly but they both made a pact that the most either of them would receive from each other was a card. They had both listened, for the most part, with the exception of Jacob who showed up at the Juturna's place on Christmas morning with three bundles of red roses; one for Fran, one for Loreen and one for Holly. Fran had invited Jacob and Billy for dinner, along with the Clearwaters and Calls. It felt nice to have a large gathering for Christmas; it wasn't something Holly was used to, but she enjoyed the change. After stuffing themselves silly with five large turkeys, ham, and enough stuffing, mashed potatoes and vegetables to go around, Fran turned on music and they finished the night off singing and dancing around a warm fire. It made Holly feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and it wasn't just because of the fire. It felt nice to be surrounding by people she loved and who loved her back.

Two weeks later they grudgingly returned to school. Much to Holly's dismay, the snow had only proceeded to accumulate more and more; it was ruining her boots. Jacob had offered to carry her to her car on numerous occasions but she had politely refused, also adding that he was completely absurd. They continued with the routine; everyone eating together at lunch, constantly poking fun of Justine's sorry attempts at catching Jacob's eye, and walking out of school together, often going to Embry's house for some intense evenings filled with video games or, if the weather was decent, playing on First Beach. Not like the weather mattered to any of them or anything, they just wanted to appear like half-normal teenagers at least.

The first week of February had brought another intense bout of snow, making Holly want to stay cooped up inside with cocoa and a book rather than go to school. Nevertheless she mad the trudge down Highway 90 to La Push Secondary. Jacob was already there waiting for her when she parked in her usual spot. The day was seemingly uneventful. Carter had been avoiding them but he had rejoined the table for the first time since before the break. Art was boring for Holly; she had already finished her silhouette piece and requested that the teacher excuse her early. She took a seat in front of her and Jacob's locker and decided to write in her journal a bit about a dream she had the night before; a daily ritual she had followed since the sixth grade. She was completely consumed in her notebook until she heard a few voices pass her in the hallway.

"Dude, that was one sick ride." Max Rickson exclaimed to another boy who Holly recognized but didn't know by name.

"Yeah man, it's not often you see a Mitsubishi Eclipse in these parts. I've only seen one in Seattle and it wasn't near as nice as that one." The other boy added as they walked into the stairwell. Holly's breath staggered; it felt like someone drop kicked her in the chest. She knew someone with an Eclipse, and he was right, no one owned one in La Push. She felt panic arise in her chest; it couldn't be who she thought it was, no one knew where she had moved. Her limbs went numb, this could not be happening. Without leaving another second to think, Holly dashed over to the nearest window at the end of the hallway. Peering out carefully, her worst nightmare was confirmed. Parked in the parking lot was a black Mitsubishi Eclipse fitted with lowered suspension, eighteen-inch black chrome rims and tinted windows, much like Holly's. Holly had no idea what to do. There was no way she could get to her car without him noticing; after all, he built the thing. There was no reason for him to even be there besides her. She couldn't go into the forest without Jacob and everyone else noticing that she was gone and the last thing she wanted to do was create suspicion. Before she could think of a better plan, the last bell rang and people began pouring into the hallway.

Holly pressed her face up against the cold locker trying to cool herself down. Everything had been perfect up until this point; the move had gone exactly how she wanted it to be, quick and painless. She had a life here, a good one, what could he possibly want to do with her? Jacob arriving at the locker interrupted her thoughts.

"You alright?" Jacob inquired, noting her mood right away.

"Yeah." Holly stuttered, grabbing her things off the floor. "Just have a little bit of a headache." She also took Jacob's sweater out of the locker and dressed herself in it, pulling up the hood over her head. Jacob was curious as to why she was acting so strange, but decided to drop it until they were in her car. Together they met Embry, Quil, Leah and Seth as they were exiting the side doors to the parking lot. Everyone was consumed in conversation as Holly ducked under Jacob's shoulder, attempting to hide her face with his sweater.

It was only a matter of time before their attention was turned to the mysterious black car that was parked in the lot. They noted that it obviously didn't belong there. Holly felt Jacob go stiff at her side and vice versa. She didn't want to look up for fear that he had gotten out of the car and was waiting for her but, before she knew it, she couldn't help not stare. She was right; he had gotten out of his car. His short brown hair was a mess atop of his head, like it always had been, and his skin glowed amidst the slue of copper-skinned people. He donned a leather jacket and ripped jeans and was leant up against the side of his car. He caught Holly's eyes right away making her gasp; he found her. Jacob noted her anxiety right away and took the keys from her hands as he led her quickly to the car. It only took him a minute to realize that the body kit on the Eclipse was very similar to that of Holly's and everything clicked. Somehow, Holly knew this guy and she was not willing to embrace the fact he was there. Jacob unlocked the passenger door and lifted her in without protest. He hopped into the drivers seat and zoomed out of the parking lot, followed by Embry, Quil, Leah and Seth in the jeep behind them. The mysterious figure watched them until they were out of sight.

Jacob remained silent in the cab of the car as he zoomed through the tree-lined roads, Embry directly behind him. Holly choked back sobs as she pulled her knees up to her face. Jacob didn't like how she was cowering. It made him want to find whoever that was and beat the living daylight out of him for causing her so much pain. Jacob had always curtsied around stories of Holly's past, constantly trying to find a way in but was never successful; she was very closed in regards to her life in Vancouver. Jacob didn't pry because she made it obvious she wanted it behind her. He never guessed it was this bad.

"Who was he?" Jacob could no longer keep himself from asking; he had to know. Holly stifled a sound and shook her head. She brought her hands to her face and rubbed her eyes. Jacob noticed Embry motion in the rearview mirror to make the turn to his place. Jacob felt at ease knowing their cars would be hidden behind the eighteen-foot evergreens that stood in front of Embry's house. Killing the engine after pulling into the driveway, Jacob looked at Holly with reassurance. "Whoever that was, he's not going to find us here." Jacob was shocked to her Holly chuckle under her breath.

"Of all the places I could have gone in this world," Holly looked at Jacob, her face somber and clouded with distress, "He managed to find me here." Jacob grimaced at her comment. They both sat in silence until they heard a tap at the window, making them both jump. It was Embry motioning for them to go into the house. One everyone was inside they collapsed in the giant living room; light peered through the skylights creating a eerie aura; today was just not right, and they all knew it. Quil broke the silence, leaving no one surprised:

"Holly, I'm sorry but I have to ask who that was." Quil questioned from the loveseat, Seth took a seat on the arm of it. Jacob looked sharply at Quil and shook his head slightly. Holly sighed big and tilted her head back onto Jacob's shoulder; she was sitting on his lap.

"His name is Greg." She explained to everyone's surprise, they all listened intently as she went on. "He was probably the only person I was close to when I lived back in Vancouver. When my Dad was…" She cringed before saying it, "_killed_ I left without telling anyone, including him. I didn't want anyone to find me or know where I was even. I needed a fresh start and that was the best way to do it."

"Why is he here then?" Leah asked with her head resting in Embry's lap on the other sofa. Holly shrugged her shoulders in response; she had no idea.

"The real question is," Embry looked down at Leah and then back up to everyone else, "How is he here. How did he find you if you told no one?"

"I don't know!" Holly screeched in irritation. It wasn't directed at Embry or anyone else, she was just frustrated at the fact there were no answers to the millions of questions that were flowing through everyone's heads. "He knew little about me, as did everyone else I knew there. I think he might have been the only one with my last name. Even so, there is no way he could have found out that my Dad died because we had different last names. It's so confusing. There are no answers, I just don't get it." Holly began pacing around the room.

"Did you ever tell him about La Push?" Seth spoke for the first time. "Or anything?" Holly shook her head.

"I might have mentioned it before but I don't see why he would remember something like that." Holly placed her hands on her forehead. She just wanted to escape or do something that would take her mind off everything. She felt like going for a good, long run; but the fear of running into him made her a little apprehensive of such activity.

"Maybe he just came here to see you." Seth suggested. "Like, what if he just came here to see how you were or something. I mean, after all, he was your friend, right?"

"If that was the case, Seth, he would have tried to contact me first." Holly fought. "Besides, I couldn't image him travelling all this way just to talk. He wants something." Jacob cringed again. He had remained silent through the whole conversation in attempts to calm himself down but it wasn't working. Everyone remained silent at Holly's realization as she paced back and forth, arguing with herself. It wasn't until the light had dispersed from the sky that Quil broke the silence again.

"Well, I'm not sure about you guys but," Quil began, "What do you say we go play a game of rugby at the school? It'll take our minds off of this and at least we'll be all together in case something happens." Holly was thankful for Quil's suggestion, but Jacob immediately spoke, squashing all hopes at leaving.

"The school? That's a bit fucking dumb. This guy knows she goes there. He could come back looking for her!" Jacob was at his wits end with this whole situation. He didn't like the idea of Holly being in any sort of remote danger.

"But he's already looked for her there. I doubt he is going to go back at six o'clock at night when school is obviously not in." Quil argued, standing up from the couch.

"He is right Jacob." Embry agreed with Quil, "I doubt he is going to look for her at the school. Besides, it'll give us something to do, release some tension." Everyone including Holly agreed that going to play rugby would be somewhat safe and at least it would get their minds off of the situation. Jacob groaned as they all left the house and headed for the cars. He realized something just as Embry was about to start the jeep.

"Maybe we should run there, just to be safe." Jacob suggested, knowing that Greg had seen them get in the cars and leave that afternoon. Holly agreed right away and with that, six wolves emerged out of nowhere and took off through the woods.


	28. Chapter 26

They made it to the school within mere moments and, much to their anticipation, the grounds were deserted. Light shone from the lights positioned around the school providing just enough to allow them to play. Within the next five minutes, Jared, Paul, Colin and Brady showed up ready to play. They split into teams of five and took their positions on the field – it was hard playing with any more people due to the fact that they could all cross the field in six strides or less. Holly played scrum half on her team and Embry took the position on the opposite team. Quil was right, it did take their mind off the current situation, and no one even drove past the school while they were there. After about two hours of game play, a few people decided that it was time for them to leave. Paul and Brady were on patrol that night, and Jared wanted to get back to Kim leaving the rest of them alone at the school.

"Anyone want to go for a coffee?" Leah asked, stretching her sore limbs. She had been the victim of Holly's vicious tackle.

"I'll go." Holly agreed, doing everything in her power to avoid her thoughts. Everyone else agreed and they took off through the forest once more. When they emerged from the part of the forest that lined the busiest part of town, Holly froze. There, right in front of her, was a shiny, black, mysterious looking car. She jumped back under the cover of the trees and watched carefully from there, as a figure emerged from the shop, coffee in one hand, cell phone in the other. Everyone's guard went up when they realized whom it was. Leah jumped back in the woods along with Holly, leaving Jacob, Embry, Quil, Seth and Colin to create a shield around them. Jacob looked frantically back towards Holly, making sure she was still there; her first instinct had always been to run and he wanted to make sure he could follow her if she were to take off.

As the figure approached he became aware of the several, giant natives standing around his car. He stood straight up, not backing down necessarily, but wary of the situation. Quil chuckled as he stepped forward slowly. No one said a word as the figure put his cell phone back in his pocket and took out his keys. Just as he was about to open the door, Embry spoke out in a deep tone, almost scaring Holly. Embry had never been the intimidating type.

"Hey man, how's it going?" The sarcasm in his casual comment was evident.

"Not bad." The figure said, making Holly cringe at the sound of his voice. "Can I help you guys?"

"Actually you can." Embry said. "We'd like to know what business you have in town. You obviously aren't from here." The boys began to circle the car. Jacob and Seth remained standing in front of where Holly and Leah were hiding.

"Catching up with an old friend." He lied. He didn't know anyone in town except for Holly, she could be sure of that.

"Who?" Quil asked with a large, conniving grin on his face.

"What's it to you?" Greg was getting defensive; Holly knew this attitude better than she had wanted too.

"Well, you see here," Quil continued, "everyone in town knows each other. If you just tell us who you are here to see then we will be on our way." They all knew whom he was there to see; they were just toying with him, making Holly uncomfortable. They had no idea what this guy was capable of.

"I was actually looking for someone I used to know. Maybe you guys know where she is?" Greg stood his ground; Holly knew he wouldn't cower in the presence of several six and a half foot tall brutes. She shook at how accurate of a guess she was making as to what he was going to say. She could see Jacob begin to tense three feet in front of her.

"Depends." Embry said. "What's her name?" Jacob braced himself for the answer. Up until this point, he remained completely still, not saying a word. He was easily the biggest and most intimidating of all of them, but he was not ready to rip someone's head off if he were to lose control.

"Holly." Greg admitted, leaning up against his car. As soon as that snake said her name, Jacob lost it. He sprang forward, knocking the guy against the car and holding him two feet off the ground. The rest of them circled around him.

"What do you want with her?" Jacob hissed, coming dangerously close to phasing. Embry and Quil braced themselves for the worst. Then, as if he couldn't have done much worse, Greg began to chuckle under Jacob's grip even though he couldn't breathe all that well. Sending Jacob more over the edge, it resulted in a swift punch, flipping Greg's face towards the forest. He winced at the stinging sensation on his cheek and nose for a moment before opening his eyes. Jacob noticed his expression change as he stared at the forest. Turning to see what Greg had seen he came across Holly with a livid, yet terrified, expression plastered on her face. Leah stood two feet behind her, ready to pounce.

"Drop him." Holly growled quietly. She had to face this sooner or later. Jacob looked at her warily before dropping him on his feet. Greg straightened his leather jacket and glared at Jacob. Everyone was silent for a few moments, waiting for Holly to speak. When she finally did, her voice was filled with venom and she turned her head so she didn't have to look at who was standing in front of her, "What do you want?"

"That's just great, Holly!" Greg spoke with just as much venom in his voice. "Not even a 'Hey, how's it going?' It's not as if you left without an explanation or anything. I thought you were fucking dead for a while there!"

"You didn't answer my question." Holly spat with anger, crunching her eyes together hoping it would take her far away from reality. Much to her dismay, it didn't. "You show up here, the one place I had left to hide, with no explanation, no call, NOTHING!" Hot tears began brimming at the corner of her eyes. Everyone was taken aback by her rage.

"I'll answer you when I get to speak to you alone." Greg spat back in an accusing tone. They had done this before, Jacob was sure of it.

"Not a fucking chance." Jacob warned Holly in front of everyone. He didn't care; he was not letting this guy anywhere near her without him there.

"Why don't you let Holly decide that for herself?" Greg snapped at Jacob as he turned and walked towards the tall native that was obviously very protective of Holly. Greg made the mistake of trying to shove Jacob; he didn't even stumble backwards.

"Greg, touch him again and you won't make it out of here alive." Holly threatened in a quieter tone that she had previously used, but the venom still seeped through her every word. Immediately, Greg backed off Jacob and turned back towards Holly. Everyone had a terrified look on their face, disguised with anger and readiness to act. "I'll talk to you if you stop acting like you are."

"Fuck, fine," Greg sighed irritably. "But call off your dogs. I want to talk to you alone." Everyone stepped closer in response to a low growl that erupted from Jacob's throat. He wasn't happy.

"Fine," Holly complied sadistically, "But Jacob stays."

"Fine." Greg agreed as the pack began to disperse into the forest. Holly knew they wouldn't be far off but she was sure that they would give them their privacy the best they could. Not like it mattered though, they would hear everything tonight whether they liked it or not. Jacob took a spot between Holly and Greg, ready to kill if he made any move towards her. As soon as everyone was out of sight, Greg began his slue of accusations, much like Holly anticipated. "How could you just leave me like that? Just fucking leave, with no word or anything?" Jacob's guard went up once more, how could she have left him? That seemed a little possessive and Jacob was not about hearing that.

"I had to." Holly's confidence had completely shattered; she had turned all meek and quiet. Jacob always hated seeing her like that. She could rip this guy apart with her bare hands and Jacob wished she knew it.

"That's bullshit Holly and you know it!" Greg stepped towards her and Jacob threw his head towards him. A strong, unforgiving glare radiated from his eyes. Greg stopped in his tracks immediately. "And who is this guy?" Greg was all irritation now, Holly knew his moods well enough to realize that getting what she wanted out of him was not going to be an easy task. He was going to bring everything he had against her up and she braced herself to hear it.

"It's not bullshit, Greg." She said instinctively. It wasn't, she had no other choice but to leave. "And his name is Jacob." Greg continued to stare at Jacob. Holly braced herself for the next question she knew would leak from his mouth.

"You fucking him?" There it was. Holly cringed as she bit her lip. The last thing she wanted to do was go into intense detail about her relationship with Jacob to the one person who could find a way to use it against her. "Because that's what you do, right? Or have you changed?" Greg began to laugh as he looked back at Jacob. "That's really what she does. Be careful."

"Shut up!" Holly screeched as she began to tremble. She clenched her fists instinctively to hold off the little hairs that were beginning to protrude from her skin.

"Oh no, I'm not finished." Greg laughed some more. "She fucks you a few times, you get her out of every situation imaginable, you're always there for her, you fucking turn her off drugs, almost get yourself killed, she fucks you again and then when you tell her that you love her, she runs away." Jacob had no conception as to how to respond to his accusations. He just looked at Holly; unaware of how drastically she must have changed.

Holly took each of his words as bullets into the main arteries of her body. She hoped that the bullets she was imagining were real and the imagined blood falling from her body was actually falling in reality. She didn't want to be alive, and the look on Jacob's face killed her. That was the last thing she wanted him to know. Her heart had sunk lower than it ever had before – if that was even possible. Everything she had experience and imagined about her life and relationship with Jacob fluttered away before her very eyes; he would never look at her the same again after hearing all that. He would ask her if its true and she would say yes because she couldn't lie to him. How could she have not seen this coming? There was too much of her to hate that Jacob would have soon realized it. She felt as if she had betrayed herself for letting her guard down in regards to letting people into her life. Before she had time to choke them back, tears were falling down her cheeks. They stung violently as she heard him laughing – laughing at her agony and sudden realization of how badly she had fucked up. She didn't know what Jacob was doing or if he was even there still. Her longing to disappear came back more potently than ever,

"Well, I guess I'll be on my way." The fucker was still laughing. As he turned towards his car, he was met by Jacob leaning up against the door, arms crossed, and looking at the ground. A part of him wanted to rip the jerk's head off for saying those things to Holly, upsetting her would be an understatement, and a part of him was hurt by the fact Holly had let Greg tell him first. Jacob felt incredibly stupid in the way he had reacted to the comments that were made about Holly; the last thing he wanted to do was make her feel as if he doubted her. The best way he could think of to fix his mistake was by standing up for her when was completely helpless under Greg's wrath.

"You didn't answer her question." Jacob growled. Greg laughed harder only resulting in Jacob throwing him violently against the ground with one hand, losing all self-control. This swine was not going to treat his girl like that under his watch. "I didn't say anything funny, now answer the question!" Jacob's voice roared throughout the parking lot.

Holly jolted her eyes open only to see Greg plastered on the ground beneath Jacob's left hand. Greg stuttered as he tried to catch his breath under Jacob's constraint, "Someone came looking for you!"

"Jacob, let him go." Taken aback by what Greg said, Holly ordered Jacob to back off. "What did you say?"

"A regular came in asking if I knew who you were." Greg spoke as he wiped the dirt off his jacket. "Asked if I knew where you were. Said he was an old friend of your father's."

"And what did you tell him?" Holly asked, hardly able to comprehend what he was saying. Jacob could feel a panic surface in his chest, something didn't feel right.

"I said I didn't know where you were. Said I hadn't seen you in months." Greg explained. "I added that I never knew your folks. Never even seen 'em."

"Who were they?" Jacob asked.

"I don't know, I only know that the one guy's name is Germain. They've done business with me for a few months now, big money, you know the type." He explained further as he unlocked the door to his car. "But I can tell when my welcome is non-existant." Holly and Jacob stood motionless as he got back into his car and took off into the road consumed in darkness.

A few moments past before everyone rejoined them. They had heard the entire conversation; Holly was sure of it after taking one look at their faces. In two strides, Jacob crossed the distance between them where he took her into a tight embrace and held her there, letting her sob into his chest for a few moments.

"What do we do now?" Seth asked, completely unsure as to how to react. Everyone shrugged their shoulders. The general consensus was that they had never experienced a situation quite like this, leaving them unsure of themselves.

"I think the best way we can handle this is to just let it go. If whoever is looking for her does not know where she is than we have nothing to worry about, right?" Embry had always been the one to fix everything and Jacob had admired that quality, as certain things often overwhelmed him. He was right, as far as they knew no one but Greg knew where she had gone and as much as he hated her at that moment, Holly knew he would never sell her out.

"He's probably right." Jacob agreed out loud. His voice muffled by Holly's hair, which was all over the place. She nodded slightly, not removing herself from his chest.

"Well, guys, we should probably get out of here. Patrol starts soon." Leah said, inching towards the forest. With that said, everyone followed including Holly and Jacob, breaking their embrace for the first time. He followed her to the clearing, knowing that she was on patrol tonight. Sam was already there, waiting with Paul and Brady.

"Holly. Jacob." Sam greeted with a concerned expression on his face. He knew there was something off in the pack; Jacob knew his expression all to well. "I assume you know what my next question will be."

Holly was sick of Sam already and the night had just started. He was a great guy and Emily was an absolute sweetheart, but sometimes he got on her nerves by doing the simplest of things. The way he always pried and ordered them to tell him everything when, really, it was none of his business. Deep down she knew it was only because he cared, but at times like these he was the last person she wanted to deal with. She stalked past him on all fours, moving towards the north edge of the forest, she wanted to be as far away from civilization as possible.

Just as Sam was about to order her back, Jacob stopped him. "Leave her be. She needs time to cool off."

"We can't keep doing this Jacob. She needs boundaries." Sam warned as Paul and Brady took off in opposite directions.

"There are set boundaries, Sam, she just needs time to get used to them." Jacob knew the way Holly function all to well. Leave her be, and she's fine. If, however, you get in her space especially in a time like that one, she would be the worst person to deal with. Jacob phased back, hoping Sam would follow suit so they could have privacy while speaking. "Someone she knew from Vancouver came looking for her. Apparently someone came to him and is looking for her. He said that he was a friend of her father, who passed away last year. I really have not had the chance to talk to her about it but what I do know is that no one knew where she went, including the guy that came here."

"So how did he find her?" Sam asked, concerned at the seriousness and vagueness of this situation.

"I don't know, and neither does she." Jacob shook his head.

"So, Jacob, how do you suggest we handle this?" Sam had often turned to Jacob secretly to ask his opinion on certain decisions. After all, Jacob was the rightful leader. Jacob pondered for a moment to himself before answer the question.

"I think we should leave it be. I mean they don't know where she is. Holly seems pretty confident that this Greg character won't sell her out. I think we should just keep a more watchful eye out for anything that doesn't belong." Sam nodded his head in agreement. They talked for another hour about logistics. They both agreed that Holly be left in the dark in regards to this. Sam would warn whoever was patrolling that night to keep a careful watch and he himself would patrol throughout the day until they are sure that this situation was over. When it was just Sam and Jacob, they would get things sorted out easily. Sam understood how Jacob felt about Holly and decided to let him deal with her whenever necessary.

When Sam decided to head home, Jacob followed suit. Holly needed her space; he would have to accept that. He still, however, felt extremely insecure about leaving her out there by herself. He thought of her abilities, and realized that even though she was not as strong as the rest of them, she could outrun any of them any day. The thought of her speed allowed Jacob to drift off into a restless, but comfortable, slumber.

What he didn't realize was that the situation they had encountered that night, was not something they could ignore.


	29. Chapter 27

Serious shiz happening in this chapter guys.

And as per usual (havn't put this in a while so i better do it now) I do not own all of the wonderful characters that have been created by the glorious Stephenie Meyer. Except Holly, I totally take credit for that ingenuity.

One more paper of first year university to go. WOOOOOO!

The dirty stuff comes in the next chapter. I'm half done it already. Only because I love writing about that kinda stuff.

Anyways ENJOY! and anticipate what comes next, M RATED FOR SUUURREEE :D

- Stephanie

* * *

After avoiding confrontation with Sam, Holly flew through the northern border of the reserve at an impressive speed. She wanted to close off her mind but she could still hear everyone talking and thinking. Paul was the best at keeping his thoughts a bay, Holly had noticed that and it comforted her. He kept his attention of what he was running towards and that was mainly it. Brady was pondering where he should take some girl on a date, which didn't bother Holly at all. In fact, it almost calmed her down to know that they were reminding her of what had happened. Of course, neither of them was there but if it was anyone else that was all they would be thinking of. Sam and Jacob had phased back early, relieving Holly to the point of no end. Jacob had always tried to hide his thoughts around Holly, he knew that it took her longer to get used to the constant conversation; it was as if there was a radio turned on loud to several different stations all playing at the same time. It was irritating but Holly didn't like feeling as if she had no privacy, that's why she always wanted to be the farthest away from anyone when on patrol; it was harder to hear when she was farther away.

It was comforting to know that Sam did not request an extra patroller that night. If he wasn't worried about the situation than why should she? She ran comfortably with this realization tucked safe in her mind. Holly never found herself scared when patrolling. She always had fun running through the darkened trees, weaving in and out of trunks and other plants, testing herself to not destroy any of them. Most of the time it felt as if she were flying and it gave her an intense feeling of liberation – even at a time like this.

As she passed the corner of northern border for the fifth time, she noticed a disturbance beneath her feet. Pausing for a moment she realized that it wasn't her feet that did this. The disturbance was, when Holly examined it more closely, a footprint, a heavy footprint. She looked in front of it and there was another one. She sniffed it instinctively, trying to recognize the smell. As she lowered her nose to the ground, a stinging sensation filled her nostrils causing her to fly backwards in agony. At that very instant, Holly began to panic. That hadn't been the first time she had reacted like that to a smell. Her eyes darted around the little clearing she was in. She knew the tree line to her left created an invisible border that she was not to pass. She debated sending out a call but hesitated for a moment; she had to be absolutely sure that there was a threat. Holly's decision was made when a black figure flew in a circle around her and back through the trees as if it were _trying _to taunt her. She let out a vociferous, piercing howl that signified a dangerous threat. In that moment, her brain was shaken with the response of several different voices, all rushing to her rescue.

Holly knew that whatever was with her in the clearing wasn't human. It was vampire; the wicked stench confirmed her guess. She stood completely motionless as she glared into the trees where the figure retreated – she was ready for a fight. A blunt blow to the back of her head, however, threw her off. She immediately fell to the ground in agony; the thing had hit her, hard, and now she could hear it laughing. Then she heard another laugh, distinctively different to the one she had heard first. Then, there was another. Holly hyperventilated as she realized there was several, bloodsucking leeches circling her. Her only instinct left was to run and that's exactly what she did. With one burst of adrenaline left in her body, she used it to launch her pain-stricken body through the trees back towards the reservation. She hit something along the way, but she barely noticed. As she ran through the forest she could feel something grabbing at her face, trying to pull her back. Figuring something was following her, she ran faster until she reached one of her own.

Jacob lay restlessly asleep in his lonely bed, but he was asleep nonetheless so he couldn't complain. He hated when Holly wasn't there. Her smell relaxed him and her presence comforted him. The way she breathed softly as she slept would hum him to sleep most nights. Jacob would love the way Holly would burry her face in his chest when the sun could creep through the window in the morning. All in all, he would much rather her there or be in her bed than have her running the patrol at night.

At around three in the morning, the sky seemed darker than usual. A thick cloud cover hid the brilliant stars as a fearsome howl littered the silent night, jolting Jacob awake. He knew that howl and without taking a moment to recognized the call he was out the window and off into the night. He feared the worst as he bolted, unhidden, along the beach and cutting through properties taking the quickest path he could to the clearing and up towards where the call came from. He flew past Seth and Leah who had just reached the edge of the north forest and was in the clearing within seconds. He was horrified at what he saw when he arrived.

In the clearing sat Sam motionless and Holly freaking out. In her mouth appeared to be a long, dark object. Jacob guessed it to be a branch before he realized what it really was as he moved closer. It wasn't a branch; it was an arm. Not any regular arm, as it was still moving violently between the grip of Holly's jaw; it was a leech's arm. Holly had somehow taken a vampires arm right off and made it to the clearing with it still in her mouth.

"_Holly, drop it!"_ Jacob shouted at her, breaking her concentration on what was attacking her. Jacob doubted she even knew what had happened. Instinctively, at the sound of his voice, Holly dropped the limb from her mouth and screeched fearsomely as she backed away from it quickly. After being able to see what was attacking her, she calmed right down and fell into a trance of confusion. On the ground, in front of her was a mangled, stone coloured arm flailing itself around the grass. Once its' fingers were upright on the ground, it began dragging itself back towards the forest. In that moment, Sam phased back and Jacob rushed forward to where the arm was crawling. Hesitating a little he jumped on its' wrist and held it in placed as Sam pulled a set of matches from the pocket of his torn jeans. Within moments the limb was ablaze in a cloud of purple smoke.

Holly sat staring at the inferno, trying to regulate her breathing. Everyone else had shown up in the clearing by that point but no one said a word. Much to everyone's surprise, Holly broke the silence, _"There was five or six of them, I can't really be sure. I was passing the northern corner of the border and I noticed footprints. As soon as the smell hit my nose, one of them attacked me from behind. It was as if they were taunting me, you know? Never the less I fell to the ground and could hear a number of them chuckling and talking really fast. The only instinct I had from that point was to run. I guess I took an arm with me."_ Quil chuckled at her bout of humor but everyone else stayed silent. Jacob felt an unnamable emotion that was a mixture of anger, fear and anguish. He wandered over to Holly and stood beside her; the closer he was to her, the calmer he felt. Sam looked around the circle that had conjugated around the collection of purple flame.

"_We need to get a hold of the Cullens. Maybe they know something in regards to our visitors."_ Sam finally concluded after an awkward and tensed silence. There seemed to be more of those than usual.

"_They could still be within our borders though."_ Embry put forth. "If they are moving closer to the reservation than we can't just stay here."

"_Well, they didn't come after me."_ Holly argued. "And when I saw them they were running in and out of the border. It was as if they knew where the line was."

"_Holly's right. They would have followed her if they had the intention of killing her."_ Jacob agreed even though it was difficult for him to put forth a passive opinion in regards to Holly's safety.

"_To me, it seems as if they were watching us, because I passed that corner four or five times before I actually noticed they were there."_ Holly explained. Sam nodded his head.

"_I think the Cullens are our best bet at this present moment."_ Sam restated. Jacob looked at him doubtfully. _"Regardless of our personal feelings with our neighbors, we need them right now."_ Holly shuddered at the thought; her reaction to Bella the first time she had met her was not one she wished to reminisce on. Now there was the possibility of being surrounded by them all and from what Jacob had told her, Bella was easily the least intimidating out of all of them. _"Tomorrow, I will arrange a meeting and let you all know the time. Paul and Jared will patrol the northern border as they are familiar with vampire visitors." _Sam concluded, alluding back to the instance a year ago where they were faced with a similar situation. The group dispersed as the bigger wolves turned back towards the borders to search for any more vampire presence. Jacob remained at Holly's side as they ran back to his house. She was phased and through the window before Jacob stopped running. When Jacob followed suit, he was met with Holly tucked under his blanket; her face covered. Within seconds he was under the blanket with her and cuddling her oddly frigid body. She seemed relatively calm but her face was furrowed with worry.

"It'll be fine." Jacob chuckled as he reassured her she was just overreacting. "It's not like we haven't done this before."

"I know." Holly wasn't worried about a fight with these strange vampires spying on their reservation. "I'm worried about seeing the Cullens."

Jacob was taken aback by her confession, "They're harmless, actually."

"Of course, Jacob." Holly snorted sarcastically and turned her back to him. "Completely harmless."

"They won't come anywhere near you. I'll make sure of that." Jacob was sure none of those leeches were coming anywhere near Holly; not as if they could catch her if they decided to come after her. "Besides, you are too fast for them. I don't even think _Edward_ could catch you." He snarled his name, knowing that he was easily the fastest of them all.

"You seem to be forgetting that they are the reason I phased in the first place. Just thinking about them makes me nervous." Holly shuddered at the thought. Jacob took her tighter in his arms and comforted her. In that spot, Holly was sure Jacob was not going to let anyone touch her. His arms created a sort of barrier around her tiny body, shielding her from whatever may be tearing at her from the outside. He could not, however, protect her from what was already inside and to Holly; her mind was the most dangerous thing out there. Jacob was still there, regardless of what he had found out about her in the past two days. They stayed quiet for a few moments until Holly decided they needed to get this talk out of the way. "Jacob, I need to ask you something." She could feel her face go red on the pillow.

"Anything, Hol." Jacob rested calmly behind her, his eyes fluttering between sleep and alertness.

"You're not bothered by what Greg said… about me, are you?" Holly held her breath waiting for his answer. Her question kind of caught in off guard. He had planned to forget about it until the right time and did not expect her to bring it up.

"No." Jacob said simply. "I know it's not true." He figured the guy was probably just over exaggerating; Holly had been wild, Jacob knew that, but she wasn't that wild. Holly was not like that.

"Jake…" Holly began to sob silently. "It is true."


	30. Chapter 28

(I've always wanted to do this)

**ADULT CONTENT NOTICE: NOT APPROPRIATE FOR KIDDIES!**

WOOHOO. Enjoy. That's all I can say.

And there will be more of the Cullens. I just had to split up the chapters because this one was getting really really really long and I really really really wanted to post it, so here it is.

LOVE :)

Oh yeah, i don't own the pack, or the cullens, or the imagination - Stephenie Meyer does.

BUT, Holly Juturna is mine all mine.

* * *

"What do you mean?" Jacob was floored at her honesty.

"I mean exactly what I said." Holly explained quietly hiding her face from his. "Everything he said was true."

Jacob thought for a few moments. What did this mean? Did it mean she was just playing him? He had given her everything and she could possibly get bored of him, that is, if she was like the girl Greg described. "What does that mean?"

Holly understood the question completely. He meant where does that lead them. "It means, Jake, that I am scared of who I was in the past. I am scared that if something happens, and I lose you, I'll go back to that. I'll go back to being _trash_." She spat the last word out as if a fly flew into her mouth.

In that precise moment, Jacob flipped her to face him. He stared at her directly in the eye and said, "You. Are. Not. Trash." Separating each word in anger. With anger overcoming his every sense, he grabbed the back of her head and mashed his lips to hers, trying to express everything he wanted her to know in that very kiss. She immediately knew that he was not going to be rid of her for her past; they meant too much to each other. She returned the kiss with as much fervor as Jacob gave her, climbing onto his lap. Jacob pushed them off the bed so they were sitting upright. Holly could feel Jacob's hands climb up the back of the shirt she had put on when they had got back to his house. She gasped heavily at his burning touch and the feel of his lips moving down her jaw. He was driving her _wild_. As Jacob continued to kiss down her neck he skillfully whipped the shirt off over her head and continued a trail of kisses and licks down her collarbone. She had an amazing physique, and Jacob would be the first to say that, but her collarbone drove him mad with desire every time he saw it. He could feel her hands entangled in his hair as she pulled his face closer to her exposed chest. Holly moaned quietly when his lips reached her cleavage. She could feel Jacob grow rock hard underneath his sweatpants and pulled his face to hers once again.

After a moment of letting their tongues explore the depths of their mouths. Jacob felt Holly push him back so he was half-leaning against the wall behind his bed. He watched as she kissed down his chest, circling with her tongue the places she knew he was ticklish. She didn't stop, however, when she got to the waistband of his sweatpants. Instead she pulled them down with her, exposing everything they hid. When the sweatpants were pooled on the floor in the corner of Jacob's bedroom, Holly did something she had never done with Jacob before. She took him full in her mouth and felt completely satisfied as Jacob let out a low growl from the pleasuring sensation. She continued for a few minutes, alternating between fast and slow as he breathed heavily beneath her and swelled in her mouth.

As Jacob felt it coming, he stopped Holly's mouth and pulled her up to his, kissing her feverishly. She felt his hands move down to her hips, pausing there by giving her a slight squeeze, and down to her thighs where her arms gave in and she collapsed comfortably on Jacob's chest. His fingers slipped onto her clit and he began rubbing methodically, causing Holly to bite down on his shoulder in pleasure. It hurt, but at the same time it drove Jacob to the brink. At last he flipped her onto her back and drove himself into her without hesitation. She moaned his named into his ear and wrapped her arms around his body the best she could as he continued to thrust – for a moment she wondered how he had gotten this good, but that thought was soon subsided by an intense orgasm, shaking her presence and causing her to dig her nails into Jacob's flesh. Jacob went rigid just after; Holly knew she wasn't the only one who finished. He collapsed on top of her, driving them both into the bed. Jacob's temperature had to have gone up three degrees. He breathlessly slid to the slide of Holly, keeping his head on her chest and fell asleep instantly – they weren't going to school, it was obvious.

Companied by the sound of Jacob's snoring, Holly thought about what just happened. The sex, well, it was amazing. Better than amazing, mind-blowing even. Above all, though, it was angry sex. Good angry sex. Amazing angry sex that Holly wanted to have again. She felt like waking Jacob up and yelling at him just so he could ravage her again but she held back; that was selfish. It seemed to make all tension disappear. It told her that he didn't want to let her go, it told her that he still felt the same way, it told her that he was angry – the list goes on and on. Above all, Holly knew everything was right again. She knew that nothing was going to break them apart, and the thought comforted her enough to allow her to fall asleep with Jacob draped over her tiny body.

The best sleep Jacob had in a long time was interrupted by a strong bang on his bedroom door, jolting him awake and making Holly gasp.

"Boy. Kitchen. Now." Uh-oh. Jacob got up and rolled his eyes. Holly looked at Jacob worriedly. Had she been that loud? Jacob grimaced, got dressed and left the room. Holly followed suit and wandered into the kitchen after Jacob to meet Billy sitting at the table and Jacob leaned up against the counter, shirtless, with an angered look on his face.

"This is a problem." Billy said as Holly entered the kitchen. She didn't know what he was talking about; it could have been a number of things. "It's getting out of hand." Holly felt as if she should break down and beg forgiveness but quickly realized that he wasn't talking about what she had thought he was. "Sam is out of his mind going to the Cullens." A wave of relief flowed through Holly.

"Dad there is nothing you can do." Jacob said, folding his arms across his chest. "Sam thinks this is for the best."

"No there is nothing I can do, but you can." Billy looked at Jacob hopefully.

"Dad, we're not getting into this again." Jacob warned furiously as he began walking back towards his bedroom. "Maybe we need them. I don't know." Billy glanced at Holly leaning up against the wall. She shrugged her shoulders and followed Jacob into the bedroom. "We need to go."

"Where are we going?" She asked, trying to calm him down.

"We have to go meet Sam." Jacob said as he climbed out the window. "Bring clothes, you'll need them."

Holly hated carrying clothing with her while running. Partially because it left holes where her teeth were but at the same time, she didn't want the burden of carrying anything. Nevertheless, she listened to Jacob and followed him out the window, bringing her clothing with her.

Outside the sky was flooded with storm clouds and the wind was incredibly strong, almost knocking Holly off course as she ran through the trees behind Jacob. The snow was dirty and wet beneath her feet, muddying her perfect white paws and tangling her fur. They had slept all day and the time was nearing four o'clock. As they neared the border of the reservation, Jacob showed no intention of slowing down. It was the first time Holly had crossed over the border into Forks and she immediately felt discomforted at the fact that the Cullens were supposedly not supposed to cross this border. Holly had watched one of them sit down and eat dinner at Jacob's table; they obviously didn't listen to that world.

They flew through the forests that backed on to the majority of the houses in the town and into the outskirts. Jacob began to slow as they reached what appeared to be a clearing. Holly could see a break of light in the trees and froze; she could smell them. The stench was faint, but still present. Holly would not budge when Jacob urged her forward. Everyone showed up seconds later and surrounded Holly. They had all phased back and were wearing their shards of clothing. Jacob had, at some point, phased back as well and was only wearing his tattered sweatpants.

"Holly, really." Jacob begged.

"They won't touch you. We won't let them." Quil reassured in a serious tone. He seemed larger than before. Maybe it was his sudden change of demeanor that caught Holly off guard. He was wearing a pair of tattered jeans and was barefoot like the rest of them. Leah came up behind him wearing a pair of cut-off jean shorts and a large gym t-shirt and nodded her head. Quil placed a reassuring hand on Holly's trembling, fur-covered back and she took a deep breath. She walked behind a tree and phased back after a few moments trying to calm herself down. Emerging wearing a pair of Jacob's sweatpants tied tight around her waist, one of her own plain grey hoodies and a tattered pair of converse. Unlike the rest of them, she had yet to acquire the one hundred and three temperature on a regular basis. She bit onto her sleeve as several, large, half naked teenagers smiled reassuringly back at her.

"You ready?" Jacob asked, taking her hand. She nodded her head nervously and they began their trek into the large open field.

Holly's vision was met with a large clearing, even covered in snow it was beautiful. Trees lined all sides of the clearing, making it a good spot to meet; no real paths lead to the open space. There was a rumbling waterfall off to the left that fell into a river that disappeared into the trees along the western side of the forest and into the mountains. Many of the trees around them were still rich in foliage and their greens glowed in the midst of the graying sky and untouched white snow. At the opposite end of the clearing where they were stood several still figures casually waiting for their arrival. Holly, who was already nervous as it is, felt as if she were going to vomit as the smell grew more potent. Jacob pushed her slightly behind him and pulled her onto his back, allowing her to press her face into his neck, taking in his delectable aroma and distracting her from the stench that was burning her nostrils. She didn't understand how the rest of them could stand it.

As they approached the group of figures, Holly could see their weight shifting. Holly assumed they were bracing themselves. They stopped ten feet in front of the group and Holly took her first good look at the Cullens. The all piled around a central figure who was easily the most comforting of them all. He had pale skin and chiseled features like the rest of them, but he was the only one who remained casual, keeping his hands tucked into the pockets of his trousers. He had a welcoming smile on his face and Holly suddenly felt a little more comfortable. Beside him stood a smaller woman, a smile on her face that projected a sense of confusion. She reminded Holly a bit of her mother with those eyes. When Holly's eyes darted to the others, however, that feeling of comfort was replaced with intense fear.

She immediately noticed Bella, looking absolutely stunning, standing alongside a painfully beautiful male with glowing copper hair alit on his white skin. Holly assumed it was Edward. He was smaller than Jacob, but the way he stood suggested he was just as strong if not more. He stood almost in front of Bella, much like Jacob did with Holly, protecting her. The only one of them that compared to the pack was a six-foot-five _beast_ standing opposite Edward in the line. He had a playful smirk on his face as if this was all just a game. His muscles were protruding from the arms of his sweater and beside him stood, without a doubt, the most beautiful figure in the world. She was painfully gorgeous with her golden blonde hair and piercing eyes. The girl had an angry look on her face; a Medusa glare, only her weapon was her beauty rather than her ugliness.

There were two others with them as well; one a tiny, fairy-like girl with short, black hair flying in disarray at the top of her head. Beside her was another boy – man – with blonde hair that fell in waves framing his face. He was a bit larger than Edward but definitely not anywhere near the size of the beast. He had a perplexed look on his face as he starred intently into Holly's eyes; it made her feel uneasy. It was as if he was confronted with something he had never seen before, but he had been around their kind so Holly didn't know what was up with him. Not only were the all painstakingly gorgeous, but they were all dressed impeccably; Holly could tell that much even looking at their winter clothing, although she was sure they didn't need it. They stood in silence for a few moments. Holly's skin was burning under her sweater. She wasn't sure if it was the intense glares coming from the several figures in front of her or if it was because she was pressed up against the almost-human space heater.

"Welcome, friends." The tall, comforting blond man greet, taking his hands from his pockets and gesturing welcome. "I understand some of our kind has disturbed the reservation. How can we be of service?" Holly immediately felt at ease when he spoke. His silky words flowed from his mouth in an impressive fashion.

"We want to thank you for your help, first of all," Sam began, "We really appreciate your immediate response to this situation."

"Anytime." The man smiled. "After all, you did support us when we were in need. Now, explain the situation."

Sam nodded his head and began the explanation, sparing no detail. "One of our own, Holly" as he motioned to Holly crouched on Jacob's back, "was patrolling the northwest corner of the reservations' border. She had already passed the corner several times that night when she noticed a disturbance in the ground beneath her. Before she knew it she was under attack and ended up fleeing into the woods, taking one of their arms with her." The pack chuckled at this. They still found it incredibly amusing that Holly took one of their arms right off without even knowing it. "She wasn't followed. It all went down last night."

"Huh." The man nodded his head in a half-understanding as he starred at Holly with a peculiar look on his face. The group of them narrowed their eyes at the tiny girl grasping onto Jacob's back. It was as if they were all in a state of shock. "That's interesting."

"Holly's got impeccable speed. She's easily the fastest of all of us." Sam answered a question that was so obviously crossing all of their minds. "Even in her human form." Holly grimaced as they all continued to look at her. She hated being the center of attention in this sort of situation.

"What confuses me the most," Carlisle began to explain, "Was how she got away so easily. Are you sure it was one of our kind? What did they look like?''

"Holly can explain that better than I can." Holly froze when Sam glanced back at her. She immediately froze, clutching Jacob's shoulders harder. She shook her head slightly. Bella huffed in annoyance; it was obvious she had already not wanted to be there. The blonde looked at Bella and rolled her eyes in the same attitude. If anything, their reactions only discouraged Holly more.

"Hol, it's okay. Just tell them what you saw." Jacob reassured, turning his head back to meet her gaze. She sighed nervously and began to speak.

"I don't know. There were four of five of them. Black cloaks. About your height." Holly explained, nodding her head towards the man in front. "I know they were of your kind. The arm was more than enough evidence. It tried to kill me – the arm, I mean. It was like, crawling back towards the forest when I finally dropped it."

The man pursed his lips. "Anything else? Did you hear them speak at all?"

Holly thought for a second, imagining back to the night before. "Yes. They were laughing when they attacked me. It was if they had been watching me. The only voice I remember distinctly had a European accent. Romanian? Maybe Russian?" Holly shrugged her shoulders. She then hopped down from Jacob's back and reached into the pocket of her sweatpants. Out she pulled a mangled piece of dark fabric. "This was a piece of the cloak of whoever I tore the arm off of." Her voice trailed off as she stepped slowly over to the man, handing him the wedge of cloth. He examined it for a few moments and shook his head.

"It's a very thick fabric, from the cloak of someone of our kind I can be sure." He looked closer and sniffed it. "It's definitely a piece from a cloak that would allow us to go into the sunlight without giving our identity away." Holly figured they would die if they went into the sunlight. Even though they made her nervous, the thought of this sweet man perishing in something as basic as sunlight made her cringe.

"We don't burn to death in the sunlight." Edward spoke for the first time. His matter-of-fact tone caught Holly off guard. It was as if he was offended by it. The vampires chuckled; Holly had forgotten that Edward could read minds. She had to be more careful of her thoughts.

"Carlisle," So that was his name. "Is it the cloak of someone you know?" Sam seemed very curious. Carlisle examined it once more.

"There are a number I've met over the years that wear cloaks of this kind." Carlisle suggested. "The only thing I can be sure of is that these vampires are more civilized than others. They obviously are taking care to ensure that can be seen in public among humans."

"What do you suggest we do about this then?" Sam asked. Holly stepped back into the arms of Jacob once more. He gripped her tightly.

"I can't be sure until we see them again. I mean I am very leery at the fact they didn't come after you Holly." Carlisle spoke her name with such fluidness.

"What gets me is how you just _ran away_." The large one chuckled in amazement. "Like, how fast are you?"

"I bet she could outrun anyone here." Quil bragged with the same playful smirk on his face. Everyone seemed to have calmed down. They were acting as if they had been friends for years.

"I doubt that." Edward argued. Bella and him were the only ones that didn't seem comfortable at the whole situation.

"I don't." Jacob agreed with Quil. "Show 'em Holly." She looked at him in shock and shook her head in disbelief.

"Come on Holly." Leah pushed. She wanted to see the vampires' faces when Holly ran circles around them all. Holly sighed in defeat and began her trek to the forest. She didn't want everyone to watch as she phased. Within two minutes she rejoined the pack on all fours. Her fur, even covered in mud, glistened along with the white snow that covered the clearing. She didn't feel as timid around the vampires when she was a wolf. The sight of Edward shrugging out of his coat excited her. She wanted to run.

"Alright," The big one announced, stepping in between the two of them. "First one to complete the path that lines the forest wins. No cheating."

"She doesn't need to cheat." Jacob chuckled and gave Holly a reassuring nod. The big one raised his arm and everyone went immediately silent.

"On your mark. Get set." Holly braced herself. Edward had nothing on her. With one last grin, the big one threw his arm down and shouted, "Go!"

The expression 'and they were off' didn't quite cut it. 'And they disappeared into thin air' was more suiting. As soon as Emmett said go, everyone began roaring in cheers. Holly flew along the path running as fast as she could, which was fast enough to make her eyes burn. She could hear his footsteps, but she was sure Edward was behind her. She didn't want to look for fear of falling behind. It felt like mere minutes until the clearing came into view. When she was sure she had lost him, she ducked quickly behind the tree where she had left her clothes, phased back and got dressed. Holly could hear the shouts of her pack and smiled as she ran back into view. Quil began to jump up and down and everyone was clapping and shouting. The vampires, however, were left in shock. Edward was nowhere in sight.


	31. Chapter 29

SORRY! I know it's short but I had to end it here.

All questions will be answered soon I promise.

And there is more action to come in the next chapter.

WHICH might take a while as I have exams all this month. Go university!

Anyways, enjoy! And review, PLEASE (L)

* * *

"Unbelievable." Carlisle exclaimed, shaking his head. "Now that is impressive."

"Thanks." Holly blushed a bit. Edward entered into view two seconds later. He slowed his pace to a fast walk until he hit the group.

"Well, that settles that." Edward chuckled a bit. Everyone was laughing with the exception of Bella and the ravishing blonde. Holly just accepted the fact that the blonde obviously had a terrible attitude, no matter the situation. Bella, however, was evidently not amused by the fact Edward was slower than the one person she hated more than anyone. Holly knew she was the farthest down on Bella's shit list and she didn't care. It felt good to know that she had something Bella wanted and would never have. Like Leah always said, wanting something made you desperate, and Bella was way past desperate at this point – Holly could tell just by the look on her face.

"So, I was thinking Sam," Carlisle began, "If you were to allow one of us at a time onto your land to patrol that northern border I am positive that we would be able to find out who these visitors are and what they want."

Sam was taken aback by Carlisle's proposal. It was against the treaty for them to be allowed on the land. The entire pack went somber, their nerves seeping through their facial expressions. "I'm not sure I can allow that Carlisle."

"Sam, I understand the predicament here," Carlisle reasoned, "But there is no other way we can help. I can swear that none of us will hunt while on the reservation." He glanced at everyone in his family and they nodded their heads in agreement. "Besides, we don't sleep. Our alertness might come in handy."

Jacob gave Sam a wary nod. He knew that Carlisle was right; they were not going to catch whoever was there without their help. Even if they did, Jacob knew it would turn into a fight and could possibly cost the pack a life – a risk no one was willing to take. Sam spoke a few moments later, "I guess we can allow that. I would like, however, to speak to you, Carlisle, for a few moments in private." Carlisle nodded his head and everyone took the hint that it was time to leave. Holly hopped back onto Jacob's back, regarding Bella's nauseated expression and flashing a smile in return. Jacob belonged to her, not some raunchy smelling leech.

_

The Cullens returned home in silence. There were mixed opinions regarding the favor the pack of werewolves was requesting. Carlisle, however, was not about to tolerate resentment towards them; they did lend their support when they didn't have to. Anything Carlisle could do for them, he would and he knew that his family would follow him whether they liked it or not. He did not condone selfish behavior from anyone – the Cullens were not like that.

Everyone collected in the kitchen around the large, granite-covered island that was never used. Esme stood at the head of the island, waiting for Carlisle to return. A few minutes later he strolled through the back patio doors and removed his jacket as if nothing needed to be discussed. Once he regarded everyone in the kitchen he let out a large sigh.

"What did Sam want?" Emmett asked casually. He was the only one that wasn't tense about the situation.

"He just wanted to talk logistics regarding our patrolling with them." Carlisle explained.

"And?" Edward inquired further, leaning up against the stove that wasn't even hooked up.

Carlisle sighed and looked over to Bella. "Sam requested that Bella not be allowed to patrol."

"What?" She almost shrieked. She hated being singled out. For once she was considered equal to the rest of them and she wanted to be a part of it whether she had to face that bitch or not. She immediately felt Jasper sooth her anger; at the rate he was going, he would have to focus all his energy on keeping her calm. "That's not fair Carlisle!"

"Bella, please." Carlisle begged. "You must understand that you patrolling alongside the werewolves would make everyone rather uncomfortable considering your decision to be changed. If this is all Sam asks then I have to comply. I am just being reasonable."

"Fuck them." Bella sulked out of the kitchen, taking a chunk of the drywall with her. "And fuck being reasonable Carlisle!" Esme and Alice ran after her; they were used to Bella's fits of rage whenever the topic of the werewolves surfaced. Emmett and Rosalie left with a shrug of their shoulders, leaving Edward, Jasper and Carlisle alone in the kitchen.

"Carlisle," Jasper addressed his father for all intensive purposes, "That girl makes me uneasy. She's not like the rest of them."

"Well, that's obvious." Carlisle agreed. "Why do you say that though?"

"I can't calm her down. It's as if she repels every emotion I try to send." Jasper shivered. He was not used to being powerless. "I can't even sense how she's feeling, it's petrifying."

"I can't hear her either." Edward admitted, gripping the counter he was leaning against.

"You also couldn't hear Bella, Edward." Carlisle vouched, trying to make sense of the situation. The girl's speed obviously separated her from the rest of them, but the fact they couldn't grasp onto her mind scared Carlisle. She was a weapon, one who was possibly more lethal than them all.

"It's different, Carlisle." Edward shook his head, crossing his arms across his chest. The tension was evident in his stiff position. "Bella, well, she was just blank. It was as if there was nothing there. That girl, however, it was as if there was a barrier. It was as if she was blocking it herself."

"We'll just keep an eye on her." Carlisle figured. "If she isn't fighting against us then there is no reason for us to worry about her abilities." It was a naïve way to look at things but Carlisle, for the first time ever, did not have any answers.

_

By the time they arrived back on the reservation, Holly was shivering; she really wished that her high body temperature would kick in sometime soon. Even as a wolf she felt herself shiver every now and then. Sam had told her that they needed her patrolling again that night; she needed to show them where she saw the vampires. Jacob had argued but Holly had convinced him otherwise; she did need to be a part of this. Jacob's only condition was that he would be with her. Carlisle and the big one, Holly had learned his name was Emmett, showed up just after midnight in the clearing where the pack usually met. Paul and Jared had gone home to rest and Quil and Embry came to take their place. Seth, Colin and Brady were positioned on the other side of the reservation. Sam was not taking any risks.

Holly had already phased by the time the vampires had arrived. Her confidence she gained around them that afternoon had disappeared and she cowered behind Jacob again. Carlisle's warm smile had disappeared and was replaced with a stern expression. Jacob stood directly in front of Holly, hiding her. He seemed to also notice that their attitude had shifted from earlier. Sam and Carlisle talked for a few moments before letting Holly lead them to where she saw the vampires the night before. She trembled when she walked over the disturbance she noticed before being attacked. Carlisle and Emmett examined the area for any other indication of what might have been there, but there was nothing. No footprints, no trail, nothing; it was as if they were never there.

"I guess we'll just have to keep a watchful eye on the place." Carlisle concluded, shrugging his shoulders. Once everyone was in their places, Jacob took Holly back to her house. She knew she couldn't argue with him about staying there with her. He wasn't planning on letting her out of his sight; going to the bathroom was beginning to be a challenge. Holly assumed everyone in her family knew what had happened when she walked in the house. They were all sitting around the fire in the family room with cups of steaming coffee in their hands. Jacob followed Holly inside, still shirtless.

"Well, if it isn't Tarzan and Jane." Her grandmother giggled from the couch with Fran's head resting in her lap; much like the way Holly did with Fran. Seeing her mother and grandmother act like this put a smile on Holly's face. Peering into the decorative mirror placed on the way beside her made Holly grimace. Her hair was all over the place and her face was covered with splotches of mud. Her cheeks were rosy red from the piercing cold wind and her eyes were bloodshot. Jacob looked much the same, only shirtless and not red from the cold. He, however, seemed to pull of the grunginess well or maybe it just seemed that way because Holly found herself insanely attracted to him no matter what he looked like. He could dress up like a fairy princess with his hairy legs sticking out and dye his hair blonde and Holly would still get the urge to rip all his clothes off. It was something she had to get used to.

"Did they find anything?" Gordon asked casually as Holly took a seat in front of the fire. She was still frozen. Jacob shook his head.

"We've decided to let two of the Cullens patrol with us every night. They know what to look for, I guess." Jacob explained, leaning up against the side of the fireplace.

"That Sam!" Gordon was taken back by their decision. "Sometimes I question his decisions."

"He _is _the alpha." Jacob shrugged his shoulders. "I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. I just wish there was another solution to this."

"In theory, yes he is, but you know Jacob…" Jacob knew what Gordon was suggesting and he sighed heavily.

"I'm not cut out for it, Gordon, I can't do what Sam does." Jacob admitted. He really wasn't inclined to lead the entire pack.

"You can't? Or you don't want to?" Gordon asked. Jacob was floored; he couldn't think of anything to say. He had never thought of it that way before.

"Dad, really." Fran spoke for the first time.

"I just want to hear what he has to say about it." Gordon paused, anticipating the answer.

"A bit of both, I guess." Jacob finally admitted, trying to make sense of it all. "The way I see it, I've never felt inclined to seriously take over as alpha. I think that if I were to ever become the alpha, the pack would suffer; I just don't have the passion that Sam does, or the maturity."

"I think you're wrong, Jacob." Gordon argued.

Jacob narrowed his eyes at Gordon. "What do you mean?"

"I think that it's because you are not ready to take on the responsibility to the pack." Gordon explained. "It's not that you aren't mature enough because by not taking the position, you're proving to everyone that you have the ability to be rational. I think you will make a solid leader someday, when you're ready, that is."

"Thanks." Jacob was taken back by Gordon's sincerity. The family discussed the current situation for the rest of the night. Holly remained unusually quiet – she was not in the mood to talk about things she barely understood. Finally, at around two thirty in the morning, Fran got up and declared that it was time for bed for everyone. No one said a word about Jacob following Holly to her bedroom; they figured he would just sneak back in anyway.

Holly wrapped herself in her warm duvet and Jacob took his spot beside her; the last thing he needed was to be under that blanket. The fireplace had left him almost sweating and he still wasn't wearing a shirt. Holly, however, was still frozen. Jacob thought nothing of it and wrapped his burning body around hers, allowing her to drift into a comfortable slumber in his arms. Jacob felt exhausted but his body was not going to let him fall asleep. He felt obligated to stay awake and make sure nothing touched her. About a half and hour later there were a few scratches at the door, causing Jacob to jump. He got up, careful to make sure he didn't wake Holly, and opened the door, only to see Ty begging to come in. Jacob chuckled and let the dog in, who immediately jumped onto Holly's bed and took his spot at her feet. A double bed was not big enough for the three of them. Jacob reclaimed his spot and drifted off into a restless sleep. He knew Ty would lose it if something came in the room.

Jacob, much to his surprise, found himself having a decent sleep until he felt Holly shake in his arms. He jolted awake only to see Ty staring directly at her, ears erect, and whimpering. She was crying, but she wasn't awake. Drops of sweat were beating down her temples and her hands gripped the blanket so tight her veins were popping out of her arms. He tried waking her up softly but it only made her cry harder.

"Don't touch me!" Holly warned, as she remained fully induced in slumber. "Stay back!"

Holly knew what was happening, she had had this dream before. She was crying in her bed, no older than seven years old. She felt her pores began to expand, much like they did the first time she phased, as the dark figure approached her with a menacing chuckle. It was all too familiar. She had not had this dream in years, but the happenings of the previous several days had reminded her of that night; that night where these dark figures came to visit. Holly saw the figure bend down to her face; it's devious grin and icy cold temperature haunting her nightmare. Right as it was about to touch her, she was jolted awake. Clasping her chest for breath she realized she had tumbled off the bed onto the cold, wood floor. As she felt her breathing slow she felt a warm arm pull her effortlessly back onto the bed, making her gasp. When it pulled her close she opened her eyes and felt immediately at ease; Jacob.


	32. Chapter 30

Hello my amazing readers!

First of all, I have to give a big shout out to a few people just because they are awesome and without them I would not have the motivation to write

acrosstheskyinstars (Tanya) - Thanks for pushing me through countless boring lectures to write, without you I'd be slacking hard in the story department and I might actually listen in lectures! P.s. you're story is amazing, keep writing

and of course topazaddiction (Jayme) - The other amazing writer on this account that has written everything else and who continues to be my best critic, and I am proud to say I can also call her my best friend! I miss you already (L) can't wait to go dress shopping for your prom!

Second of all, I have to thank angstgoddess003 (Wide Awake & Of Gemini & Gypsies), off-the-deep-end (Good Bella Bad Bella), GuineaPigBarbie (Wilting) & cdunbar (Resident Geek) for providing me with countless hours of amusement with their amazing fanfictions. They also keep me inspired to write, so if you haven't these, you should. (After you read this of course).

As per usual, I don't own anything except Holly and NOW I CAN FINALLY SAY FOR CERTAIN the relationship between Embry/Leah has totally sprung from my head. Keep watch for some sexy one shots that will be separate from this story!

Love and Review!

♥ Stephanie

(Now to the good stuff)

* * *

Neither of them slept for the rest of the night, Holly in fear of having another nightmare and Jacob in fear of seeing her in pain again. When the sun rose in the morning, Holly sighed in relief. The thought of going to school had never been more welcoming. Getting up to go shower, she climbed over Jacob who remained motionless on the bed. He grabbed her wrists just as she was about to jump off the bed.

"Where are you going?" He asked worriedly.

"To shower?" Holly replied. "I'd say come with me but if my Grandpa sees you, well, you might die." She giggled as he released her arms. She stopped in front of her closed door, stripped down to nothing and wrapped herself in her fluffy, purple bathrobe. When she left the room, Ty followed her. _"Does that dog ever let her out of his sight?" _Jacob thought to himself. Then he laughed; Ty and him were more alike then he had realized. Feeling a little better, Jacob got off the bed and stretched as much as he could without hitting the ceiling. Sometimes he hated being ridiculously tall – ducking through doorways and looking down on most people got irritating.

Holly reentered the room fifteen minutes later, followed by Ty. Jacob chuckled at the dog's attachment to her and was once again reminded that he was no different – he, however, didn't follow her to the bathroom (although he probably would if she would let him). Her hair was wrapped into a giant towel that matched her bathrobe and there were little smudges of black underneath her eyes from yesterday's makeup. Before turning to get ready, Holly pounced onto Jacob and wrapped her tiny arms around the majority of his torso. Jacob didn't mind that she was still half-soaked from her shower. "I could get used to staying here every night." She nodded her head in response before getting up to get ready.

"There are towels under the bathroom sink if you want to shower." Holly reminded Jacob as she began applying a little makeup; she had plenty of time before school started and she needed something to take her mind off her nightmare.

"I have no clean clothes." Jacob reminded her as he sat upright on the bed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, even though he had not really slept.

"There are some in the basket that I wore home a while ago, your grey sweatpants and your black, long-sleeved shirt." With that said, Jacob got up and kissed her head softly before heading to the shower. The rest of the day was long and Jacob was agitated for the most part, as he only had two classes with Holly. Letting her out of his sight was a hard thing to do. Embry and Quil informed Jacob quietly in auto class that they had found nothing the night before. Holly was silent for the most part that day, replaying the nightmare in her head from start to finish, taking in all the minuscule details. She feared that if she were to go to sleep again then she would be facing another night of waking up breathless and petrified of her surroundings. She also didn't like how scared she had made Jacob. Every time she moved he would jump and ask if she was okay. As frustrating as it was, Holly was thankful he was there. The only time she felt safe was when she was with him.

They went for dinner at Jacob's house and Holly remained very quiet as she helped Billy prepare the fettuccini alfredo that they had chosen to eat. Billy noted the stress in her eyes but didn't bring it up; he knew that Holly was not one to talk about what was bothering her. They ate dinner in silence, following suit with how they had spent the entire day. By the time dinner was over, Jacob found himself growing more irritated with Holly's questionable silence. After she had helped with the dishes and they had gone to Jacob's room and remained in another half an hour of silence before Jacob had enough.

"What's wrong?" Jacob asked, sitting up on the bed and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Noth – "

"And don't say nothing." Jacob warned. Holly sighed. Silence took the room again. "What were you dreaming about last night?"

"I don't remember." Holly lied. She had to turn away; she could not lie to his face.

"Holly. If you are going to lie to me at least have the decency to lie to my face." Jacob scoffed. It took a few moments before Holly turned to face him.

"I had a bad dream. I saw the vampire from the night before and it's all I've been able to think about." It wasn't necessarily lying; Holly argued with herself, it was just leaving out some of the truth. Jacob seemed to believe her.

"That's it?"

"That's all." Holly bit her lip. As soon as they were about to fall asleep, Holly told Jacob she wanted to go home – she didn't want to sleep without Ty. Grudgingly, Jacob followed her back to the Juturna cabin and within five minutes of arriving at the cottage, Ty found his place on the bed and everyone was sound asleep.

Plunging into the dream once again, Holly could feel her body shaking as the vampire got closer, picking up where the dream had left off the night before. As soon as she got a full view of his face she was plunged into a familiar place. It was a garage, with a second floor looking over the work area. To her left was a door; behind the door she knew there was a small kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedroom all combined together. It was Greg's apartment and garage. She could feel her body jump in the bed but could not shake herself from the dream. She looked over the railing down into the garage only to see three hooded figures shaking hands with Greg. _Traitor_, she thought to herself. Similar to the night before she could feel her pores expanding and the urge to jump over the railing and attack them grew stronger. One of the figures suddenly turned to face her and she gasped; it was the same menacing face that was in her childhood bedroom.

She suddenly felt two hands grab her shoulders. For a moment she panicked, thinking the hands were grabbing her in the dream, but they weren't. She recognized Jacob's grip and was jolted awake. Holly was met with Ty standing alert at her feet, whimpering. Jacob was sitting up on his knees beside Ty. Both had the same worried look on their faces.

"Enough with the bullshit." Jacob warned, his teeth clenched together so hard Holly was scared they were going to break. "You need to tell me what you saw."

"I saw him, the vampire, again." Holly gasped for air, wiping the sweat from her face. "I need to go."

"What?" Jacob asked frantically. "Where?"

"To Vancouver, he's there. I know it." Holly got up and grabbed her TNA bag, dumping the contents out onto the floor, and began grabbing clothes from the closet.

"Whoa! Whoa! Slow your roll Holly." Jacob grabbed her waist and picked her up with one hand. "What did you see?"

"I saw _him_, the vampire, at Greg's garage." Holly began to sob. She couldn't even process everything she had seen. "He was there. They were talking. He has no idea! I need to go!"

"You can't go by yourself. Not a fucking chance." Jacob reasoned, throwing his clothes on, and knowing that she was going to go whether he liked her or not. "We need Quil and Embry. We need to be gone before anyone realizes where we are." She put on a pair of jeans and a sweater quickly, confused at Jacob's frantic decision.

"Why?" Holly asked, taking Jacob's face into her hands.

"Because I know Sam, and Sam won't approve of this." Jacob took her hands from his face and laced his fingers through them. "I love you."

"I love you too." Jacob kissed her. "Everything is going to be alright." She nodded and said goodbye to Ty, telling him to go sleep with Fran. He listened diligently and jogged out of the room before Holly and Jacob burst out the window.

Jacob knew that she wasn't worried for herself; she was worried for Greg. He reasoned that she felt it was her fault these vampires were around him and he knew that she knew she had to do something about it. No matter what Greg said about her, he was still her friend, her _only_ friend from Vancouver that had ever meant anything. Jacob was not about ready to watch her worry herself sick for the next who knows how long over this. They both faced the fact; Greg was going to die if they didn't do something.

They arrived at Embry's house on foot, without phasing, knowing that they had to be stealth about it. Jacob hopped through Embry's open window as if it was nothing and unexpectedly encountered Leah Clearwater draped, without clothing mind you, across Embry's chest.

"What the hell, man?!" Embry jumped, flipping on the light beside him.

"Sorry, but we need you, as in right now." Jacob averted his eyes to face Holly, who was leaning against the windowpane trying to stifle her giggle. "We need to go to Vancouver."

"What the fuck are you talking about Jacob?" Leah asked, grabbing a handful of Embry's clothes off the floor and putting them on. "You can turn around."

"No, just the fact that you are in this bedroom disturbs me enough." Jacob made a slight gagging noise. "Holly saw the vampires in a dream. We'll explain on the way." They hopped out of the window and Embry didn't spare another second. He dressed quickly and grabbed his keys, following them out of the window. Leah came with him.

"We need to get Quil." Embry said without nerve as he hopped into the jeep without asking any more questions. Leah was just about to get in when Embry stopped her. "You need to stay here. Damage control. I can't be worrying about you."

"But Em-" Leah begged, meeting his face in the window of the jeep.

"Leah, really." Embry kissed her forehead as Jacob made more gagging noises from the back of the jeep. They ignored his sounds as they said goodbye. "Something could happen to both of us if I am constantly watching where you are. Please." She nodded her head and kissed him full on the lips, taking his bottom lip in her teeth just before pulling away. "We'll be back soon. I promise." She nodded, her face resembling that of a lost puppy and remained standing in the driveway as Embry hastily backed the jeep out of the driveway.

"So you two have some s'plainin to do." Embry pried once they had picked up Quil and were heading towards the interstate.

"We need to go to Vancouver. It should take about six hours, but we are going to have to stop somewhere. We can't enter the city until nightfall." Holly played out the plan in her head. She knew they couldn't drive around Vancouver during the day; someone was bound to see her and she wasn't taking any chances. Jacob explained to Quil and Embry what Holly had seen in her dream and how they needed to find Greg. Holly knew where his garage was – even though most people didn't, it was well hidden.

"So, even if this dream is just a figment of your imagination," Embry questioned, "you think Greg might be able to fill in some of the blanks?"

"Yeah, when he came," Holly winced at the thought of him showing up in La Push, "he said that a few men had come looking for me saying they were friends of my fathers. It just doesn't make sense. Everything is pointing towards him." Embry furrowed his brow in confusion; she knew that he knew there was something she was keeping from them. Holly hadn't told them about the whole dream; the part where a cold, menacing face was in her childhood bedroom. The image was all too real for Holly. They crossed the border just after dawn and Embry pulled into a small motel right off the highway. Quil went in and got a key while the others waited in the jeep.

The motel room was cramped and wreaked of Lysol. There were two beds with the typical motel-style comforters folded neatly over them. The room also contained a small television, a table with two chairs and a tiny, peach, mosaic-tiled bathroom. The once-yellow wallpaper was peeling in all corners of the room and Holly was completely disturbed by the fact the brown, shag carpet engulfed her toes after removing her shoes. Exhausted, the four of them collapsed on the beds and within moments, loud snores erupted from them all.

Holly was the first to wake just as the sun was beginning to set. Not wanting to wake anyone else, she remained in her spot on the bed with Jacob still wrapped around her. It gave her time to think about what tonight was going to entail. She knew that she had to find Greg – wherever he was – because he was the only one who knew about these men asking for her, and if her dream was accurate, well, they could all be facing death.


	33. Chapter 31

1.) Yay for incredibly long chapters!

2.) Apologies for taking so long - it's a very dramatic and gut-wrenching chapter to read/write

3.) New chapter of Takes 2 To Tango next

4.) And then another chapter of this, don't worry, I promise not to take so long next time

4 1/2.) And all questions in regards to Holly and her dreams will be answered in the next two chapters)

5.) I love you all, reviews will keep the characters alive (what you take of this now, please be forewarned)

* * *

They slept for what seemed like eons – Holly was the first too wake. Careful not to wake Jacob from his restless slumber, she removed herself from within his grasp and tiptoed over Quil – who had toppled onto the floor sometime during the night – to the covered window. As she peered out she was met with the setting sky of the outskirts of Vancouver. Holly estimated another half hour until they would arrive at their destination; they had driven farther than she had realized the night before. The scene was very familiar; this hadn't been the first time she'd been at this motel. Holly shuddered as she thought of the night; she had almost completely eradicated all thoughts of her past when she had left Vancouver, it was not a time she wished to remember. Her past haunted her more than the average person's would. Everything she had done up until when she moved to La Push had had some severe consequences; she was never one to think before acting, a trait that often lead her to get into a lot of trouble. Her father's murder, as terrible as it was, created an escape for her, a chance for a fresh start, and she was going to take that opportunity and run with it.

She quietly stepped into the bathroom, taking the bag she had managed to bring with her. She showered using most of the shampoo that the motel provided, scrubbing her hair and body of the dirt that had accumulated over the course of the shotgun venture to Vancouver. Once she was finished she used only one of the small towels to dry her body, thinking that the boys would probably need the bigger towels. Slipping into the extra pair of black jeans she brought along with the t-shirt she had worn the day before, she began using the towel to dry off her massive mound of tangled hair – cursing herself for forgetting a brush of all things. She settled with letting her hair dry curly and emerged from the bathroom in a cloud of steam. Embry and Jacob had since woken up and were sitting at the table by the window playing a silent game of war with a deck of cards that they had found in Embry's jeep.

"Not fair man, the deck is missing an ace." Jacob complained as Embry took three tricks in a row. He chuckled at Jacob's poor sport.

"Good evening?" Holly spoke, noticing that it was almost seven. Embry chuckled again as she took a seat on Jacob's lap. "Quil still out cold?"

"He'll be out until we wake him." Jacob scoffed as he picked Holly up and placed her on the chair. "I'm going to take a shower." Within minutes she heard the shower on, somewhat blocking out the sound of Quil's methodical snoring – he still hadn't moved from his place on the floor.

"So it's finally out eh?" Holly asked Embry, taking over Jacob's place in the game. Embry looked at her in confusion. "You and Leah."

"You knew?" Embry's face went the whitest she had ever seen it.

"A girl needs someone to talk to Em," Holly explained, "And it's not as if there was anyone else she could go to, right?"

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense." Embry agreed. His heart ached a bit harder than before.

"She'll be fine. She doesn't take any shit." Holly said, immediately sensing his strife.

"I know. It's just…" His voice trailed off for a moment. "I don't like leaving her alone with Sam. He is the one person that seems to be able to get to her."

"That won't ever change Embry, besides, he'll be way to concerned where we are to even bother her. I wouldn't worry too much about it, I mean, at least try not to." Holly tried to raise his spirits a bit but she knew that there was no hope until he saw her again, until he knew she was safe; he can't stand up for her when he's hundreds of miles away. Holly began to feel a twinge of guilt; it was her fault he was there.

The rest of the evening was spent cooped up in the little motel room that the four shared, and with three six-foot-tall, two hundred plus pound, restless dogs, it was a bit tiresome. Holly had made it a rule that they were not allowed to leave the motel room; she was incredibly freaked out as it was, she didn't need to be worrying about them. Eventually, however, they wore her down and Embry and Quil went out to scavenge for a bit of food. They promised they'd be back in half and hour, leaving Jacob and Holly alone in the room.

"Holly, c'mon, you're making me really fucking nervous right now." Jacob broke the silence as Holly jittered in one of the small chairs. She had chewed all of her nails off entirely and now she was violently picking at the split ends she could find.

"I don't know if I can do this Jacob." Holly stuttered from her seat, not even able to look him in the eye. "Just the thought of leaving this fucking room terrifies me. I don't know why I'm even here." Jacob got up off the bed and brought Holly back in his arms. He could feel her trembling in his arms.

"It doesn't seem that bad Holly, it's nothing we can't handle." Jacob assured, stroking her soft hair soothingly.

"You have no idea what you are getting yourself into, Jake, really." Holly buried her face into his chest while counting down the minutes until Quil and Embry came back. Holly almost jumped out of her skin when they came through the door. She had been terrified the whole time they were gone and she wasn't even sure what she was expecting to happen to them. At first glance they _were _a little overbearing. Nevertheless they came bearing chips, juice and more McDonald's than Holly had ever seen in her life. She ate one Big Mac and all her fries, not realizing how hungry she was, all while watching the three boys wolf down three double Big Macs each and the rest of the fries. She shook her head in disbelief – they never managed to surprise her.

Holly watched as the sun completely disappeared from the sky and as the clock neared midnight; she knew it was time. "Well, boys, it's now or never." She announced, breaking their concentration from the football game that was on the television. Wordlessly they grabbed their few belongings and the extra food while Embry went and checked out. By the time he got back, the rest were packed away into the jeep. Holly had taken shotgun and Embry climbed into the driver's seat beside her. After sending a nod Embry's way and tugging the hood to her black sweater up over her head, they were off.

The scene was all too familiar as they drove into the city limits of Vancouver. Holly quietly, but expertly, directed Embry through the confusing streets until they reached downtown. They passed numerous convenience stores, groups of suspicious looking kids and countless buildings littered with graffiti and boarded windows; it was all-around grunge. Holly shuddered as memories of her childhood flooded her imagination. Nights of wandering these streets aimlessly with the wrong crowd were something Holly could never push from her mind. The trouble she would get herself into was incomparable to anything she had seen anyone experience in La Push; these boys had no idea what they were being dragged into. Holly silently cursed herself for not sneaking here by herself – at least it would have only been her who would get hurt and she could take it.

They came to a red at an intersection with a run-down Asian marketplace lining the left hand side, immediately informing Holly that they were close. "Pull in there and park." Was all she had to say.

"We're here?" Quil peered out the window suspiciously as Embry pulled his keys from the ignition.

"No." Holly explained, as she climbed from the passenger seat. "But we can't drive, we'll be followed the moment we turn into that survey over there. She nodded her head across the street. It wasn't exactly a 'survey' but there was no term to describe it better. Staggered apartment rooftops were scattered in between random warehouses with the random lit streetlight – the majority seemed to be burnt out. From what Jacob could see, Holly had not been exaggerating about where she had lived before coming to La Push and he, for more than one reason, was happy she did not have to live here anymore. For a moment he had imagined if he had met Holly when she was visiting her grandparents one summer and had to come back here to live after her vacation. He shuddered at the thought of her walking through these streets by herself. If that was the case, he couldn't imagine letting her leave.

Holly walked towards their destination with Jacob and Quil flanking her sides and Embry following behind them. Instinctively they were protecting her but Holly felt that she should be the one protecting them. She almost laughed at the thought of her trying to protect the three of them, all twice the size of her. If ever put in the situation, although, Holly could do some damage, she was sure of that at least. She was consciously looking around, not making it obvious she was nervous, for people following them but the area was strangely empty. For a second she had to remind herself where she was headed – it wasn't exactly the easiest place to find, for obvious reasons. Greg and Marc owned and worked at a black market body shop that took parts from stolen cars and sold them. They also installed illegal features for most of the mob that inhabited southern British Columbia among other clients. It was a shady business and they had to be sure that one would only be able to find it if they were serious customers. Holly was one exception, she often stayed there when her parents fought or when she was too messed up to go home – they were the only people who she felt safe with in Vancouver. She had forgotten how hidden it was.

She turned left down a smaller side street lined with smaller apartment buildings and a few small homes and the boys followed her. She knew it was well past the building she once lived and she could see it poking overhead. She sighed deeply as they continued towards it. A few steps before the main entrance she slowed to take in her surroundings. Jacob assumed right away that this was where she had lived. She peered nervously down the alleyway as they passed it. The last time she had seen it, it was surrounded in Police Crossing tape and it was filled with detectives and camera flashes and people cleaning up the dismembered man she once called her father. For the first time ever, she felt hatred towards the man. He was the reason she was back here – the rest of the pack just didn't know it yet.

It was his fault she was so different.

They continued walking for another few minutes until they reached two smaller houses near the end of the street. Quietly, Holly turned down the small path that seemed to lead to the back yard of the tiny buildings. Quil and Embry both looked at Jacob and he shrugged his shoulders. They had no idea where they were headed. She opened the gate at the end of the path but instead of leading to a yard, it lead to another path that went in between more houses. The path lead out to the next street over but Holly stopped before they got that far. She felt along a wooden fence until a section of it pushed upwards, allowing them to travel along another dirt path. The new path they were on seemed to separate the backyards of a dozen homes and warehouses. Holly stopped when they reached another wooden fence, only this time she climbed over it as if she had done it a million times. Jacob, Embry and Quil followed her without question and as soon as their feet landed on the other side of the fence they were face with the back of a warehouse. It was a tall grey building, maybe two and a half stories, with only two doors and no windows. One of the doors was atop a fire-escape style staircase and the other was directly underneath. She approached the bottom door and took a deep breath before knocking twice. After waiting a second she knocked three more times and then once more. Jacob assumed there was a certain way you had to knock – he couldn't imagine these guys just letting anyone in.

The door opened flew open right as she finished the last knock.

"Well, it's about fucking time." Greg expressed as he moved to let them in. "And of course you bring your body guards."

"Hi Greg." Holly said sarcastically as she looked around the garage. Jacob was immediately impressed at the set-up; it was nicer than most garages that he saw on television. To top it of there were several cars lined up at both of the workstations; all of which were comparable to Holly's amazing piece of machinery. These guys did not mess around.

"I didn't think you would actually come back." Greg said as dropped the oil rag he was holding at a station and took a long swig of a beer he had waiting there. "You've never been one for confrontation so I am rather curious."

Holly sighed once more, "After you left, Greg, _someone_ came after me." She was purposely leaving out the details, Jacob was thankful for that.

"What?" His face immediately dropped into a stern look of worry, taking Jacob off guard. Did he actually look concerned for her safety? After all those nasty things he said to her?

"Yeah. I need you to tell me everything you know about that client that asked for me." Holly leaned against the edge of a wrought iron staircase that lead up to a landing with couches and a television and small kitchen, sending the notion that Greg lived there. "I know you aren't all for that, but I _need _to know Greg. I could be in real danger." Jacob shuddered, and out of the corner of his eye, he thought he caught Greg shuddering as well.

"He's a part of a group that often comes in here. Very secretive and precise individuals. They tell me what they want and when they need it by and that's that. They never complain and never give me any trouble. They've been coming to me for a few months, only at night though. They always pay in cash. It's actually kind of funny; they actually come with suitcases loaded with cash. It's nice, not many clients do that." Greg explained. "The most I've ever talked to them was a few weeks ago when they came to pick up a few of their vehicles. That's when they asked about you."

After pausing for a few moments to think, Holly asked, "What do they want installed?"

Greg pointed to the vehicles that were lined at the stations. All were a painted a sleek black with illegally dark windows. The tires were unrecognizable and Holly assumed their function was to accommodate the speed of the engine. "They're all Nissan Skylines GTRs imported right from Japan, with the exception of two Mercedes which I worked on a while ago. They wanted the windows as dark as I could get them without making them completely opaque, definitely illegal, but I assume that they were alright with that considering the engine work they wanted done will make it impossible for any cop to catch them. Besides, I don't think these guys are really worried about cops." Holly looked around the cars carefully, examining each detail as closely as she could. She obviously knew what she was looking at.

"Fuckin' impressive." She mumbled as she finished her circle of the car. Embry and Quil were examining the rest while Jacob stood still beside Greg.

"They're coming tonight to pick them up." Greg added, glancing over to Holly, "I wouldn't usually do this but if you can stay fucking silent and hide up stairs you could get a look at who they are. Maybe you'll recognize them."

"Are you sure?" Jacob asked nervously, knowing what this would mean.

"Yeah, you'll just have to wait for a few hours. They usually come around three." Greg offered. They all agreed to stay and followed Greg to the upstairs apartment where he lived. Within minutes Holly passed out on the couch, she was exhausted and had barely slept the night before. Her body had finally given out, leaving the guys by themselves. Embry and Quil were relaxed on the couches but Jacob remained standing, pacing across the room. The living area was open to the rest of the garage but there was a small bedroom that was closed in with a black window that allowed whoever was in there to watch the rest of the garage. _"How convenient?" _Jacob thought to himself. An hour passed before Greg came upstairs, finished whatever he was doing with the cars before these clients came to pick them up.

"Tired?" Greg chuckled at the sight of Holly and Embry passed out on the sofas, and in Quil's case, on the floor.

"Yeah, we haven't exactly gotten a lot of sleep the past few days." Jacob replied, still pacing around aimlessly.

"I guess not." Greg said awkwardly. "So, you seem pretty protective of her." He noted, nodding towards Holly.

"Yeah, I guess I am." Jacob stopped and looked towards Greg who was leaning against the small counter in the tiny kitchenette. "Why?"

Greg shrugged his shoulders. "I guess it's good to know that she's being taken care of. Her mind is more dangerous to her than anything else out her. I think you could agree that she doesn't have the greatest judgment in the world."

Jacob chuckled, "Not really, no. But in her defense, she has changed quite a bit since she's been here, well, from what she's told me."

"I can see it." He nodded his head towards his feet. "She has been in every kind of mess possible."

"I can imagine. The things she's told me…" Jacob paused for a moment, "I can't even comprehend."

"And the sad thing is," Greg began, "You probably haven't heard the half of it. I doubt she can even remember half the trouble she's gotten herself into. Most of it involved drugs. She got herself to the point where it was the drugs that were moving her and nothing else. By the time Marc or I would find her, she was too far gone to even realize that we were there."

"She's far from perfect." Jacob admitted, he wasn't going to deny that she was more fucked up than anyone he had ever met, even more than Bella. "But I still love her."

Greg chuckled again, "And I'm jealous. I've never seen her show so much affection to one person before, and I've even slept with her! It's as if she's placed everything in your hands, which is unbelievable. Holly is not an open person."

"Our relationship is a little different. It's… well… I can't really explain it. It's just different." Jacob pondered for a moment, drowned in the silence of the room.

"Well, embrace it, she loves you. I even know that." Greg smiled genuinely towards Jacob. He wasn't really that bad of a guy, Jacob realized that now. It explained why Holly was so keen on making sure he was safe, reminding Jacob of why they were here. They needed to make sure he got out of her safely. These weren't regular clients. Without another word able to be said, there was a loud knock at the same door they had come through earlier. Everyone jolted awake, looking around frantically for a place to hide, Greg pointed to the bedroom as he hastily ran down the staircase, purposely making a lot of nose so they could get in the room and close the door. When they were all in Jacob flipped the light off just incase the one sided window was a bit see through. They all carefully peered out as Greg let the 'clients in,' Jacob and Embry on the sides and Holly and Quil on their knees peeking up from the bottom.

There were seven figures all together, decked out in black cloaks and all carrying matching briefcases – much like Greg had described earlier. They were all roughly the same height with the exception of one really tall one and one that was comparable to that of a child's build. As they revealed their faces, Holly gasped. They were scarily similar in appearance to that of the Cullen's – white, marbled skin, flawless features, solid build, only their eyes were different. She wasn't surprised to find one of their faces all too familiar and the features had been burned into her mind for years – there was no way he wasn't the one.

The figures spoke with Greg for what seemed like ages. Holly wished she could hear what they were saying, whether they were asking about her again or not – Greg had said the only time he had ever had a real conversation with them was when they had asked for her. She watched carefully for a sign that he was in serious danger. She regarded as they all opened the briefcases in sync before looking over the cars. They nodded their heads in approval – one thing's for sure; Greg always knew how to please his clients. Even though it was a black market shop, he never cheated his customers. It seemed generally uneventful until one of the clients stood out from the rest. He cunningly smirked at Greg and spoke as the rest stayed silent. Greg shook his head frantically and Holly desperately wished she could at least read lips.

"Can anyone tell what they're saying?" Holly whispered ever so slightly, causing Jacob to turn to her frantically, his eyes an immediate scare. When she looked back into the shop, several of the men were looking directly at the bedroom as if they had heard her.

"Fuck!" Quil cursed as one of the group lunged at Greg, sending him flying across the garage into one of the shelving units.

"Greg!" Holly screamed, tearing out of the close bedroom and flying over the railing of the second floor, phasing on her way down, and slamming into the vampire that stood clawing at her friend – she knew for certain now, these were no ordinary clients.

The rest had no time to lose. One by one, Jacob, Embry and Quil were over the railing, phased, and attacking the nearest vampire. Holly knew from what Jacob had told her that the only way to kill a vampire was to dissemble them into pieces and burn them. Easy right? Not so much. As she began pulling at the limbs of the vampire she was attacking she realized that he was already missing an arm.

"_You fucking bastard!" _She screeched, taking the rest of his limbs off in no time. Just as she was aiming for his neck, another of the vampires jumped on her back, cracking every vertebra painfully. Hearing her excruciating roar, Jacob lunged at the vampire on top of Holly and began tearing at him like there was no tomorrow. How dare he touch her? Once he was finished with that one he turned back to see Holly finishing off the one that was on Greg with no obvious injury. Greg was nowhere to be found.

Quil and Embry finished off four of the seven vampires, piling the wriggling limbs in the middle of the garage. Jacob and Holly added their remains as Quil dumped a container of gasoline around the bottom of the pile. They soon realized that all hadn't been accounted for and frantically searched around the garage for the seventh vampire. Holly ascended the staircase only to find Greg cowering behind the busted door of the bedroom. Forgetting entirely of the missing vampire she slowly walked over to her trembling friend on the floor. Minus the countless gushing crimson slashes and probably a few broken ribs, he was, luckily, fine physically. Hearing what sounded like a pack of rabid, malnourished lions attacking a poor wildebeest downstairs, Holly figured they had found the seventh and phased back to her human self.

"Shhhhh, shhhh, it's okay." She assured, dropping on all fours, not caring that she was naked.

"What-t-t the f-f-fuck Hol'?" Greg asked, looking as if he was about to puke.

"There's no time to explain, get a bag together, this place is going to be up in flames in a few minutes." Holly explained quickly, grabbing whatever intact clothing she could. She threw some down to the boys, as they made sure the wriggling limbs didn't make their way out of the building. It only took Greg two minutes to grab whatever he needed. He had grabbed a few articles of clothing, a box from under his bed and some cash from one of the drawer. Together they descending the staircase and Holly threw the boys a packet of matches she found just before aiding Greg in packing the money the vampires had brought into another duffel bag.

"Embry, go! Get the jeep!" Holly screeched as Quil and Jacob threw matches on the screaming pile of remains. Embry was out the door in a fraction of a second and Holly took the bags from Greg and strung them over her back. "We've got to get out of here!" Holly warned just as Quil poured more gasoline over the blaze. Purple smoke, identical to that of when they burned the arm back in the clearing, began filling the garage as the fire poured dangerously close to the vehicles. Holly knew they were filled with gases just waiting for a lick of that fire to explode. Jacob, in one swift movement, pulled Greg over his shoulder and they were out of the building, flying through the pathways and out onto the street just as the inconspicuous warehouse went up in a clouded explosion of dust, debris and purple haze.

"Wait!" Jacob heard Holly scream frantically from behind him. He didn't want to stop but was compelled to slow, waiting for Holly to finish what she felt was so important that they needed to stop running from an explosion that they had set off, not like it was illegal and could put them in jail or anything.

Jacob could feel the ring of the explosion in his ears and everything seemed to stop in time as he heard Holly scream, "Where's Quil?"


	34. Chapter 32

Sorry, I lied.

I originally said in my last chapter that I was going to write chapter 3 to Takes 2 To Tango, but this one just came out of me like nobody's business.

I'm sure you don't mind.

More to come soon. I'm in the fucking zone.

Review, it'll bring some sweet lovin' your way.

p.s. sorry for the spelling and grammar mistakes. I was too excited to proofread it.

* * *

"I can't believe this!" Fran wept with her head in her hands. The bright light from Jade's kitchen was giving her a headache. Across from her sat Leah Clearwater, Jade Call and Billy Black sat next to her, rubbing her back methodically. "Are you sure that's what they went to do?"

"I'm positive, Fran, they wouldn't lie to me." Leah reassured for the thousandth time. She was one hundred percent positive that's where they had gone and she was also one hundred percent positive that she was going to tear Embry's head off the moment he came back for leaving her behind. She had not left his house since he had shot gunned it out of there late Friday night, off on a rampage of south-western Canada. When Jade arrived home Saturday evening only to find Leah pacing the darkened living room it only made the questions pour down; much like the rain that had not ceased since Embry had left. As mad as Jade was that Embry had left without word to anyone, she literally begged for Leah to stay with her until he was back. Leah had no objection; it would keep Sam guessing where she was. She was hoping that he had just assumed she had gone with them. The last thing she wanted was Sam hounding her for answers.

"Well, at least Holly knows where they are going." Billy tried to reason with the three near-hysterical women. "It's not as if they are driving to no where. Besides, Jacob wouldn't leave and risk that caliber of danger unless it was necessary."

"You're right Billy." Fran sighed, looking around the table at everyone. "Jacob's a pretty reasonable kid. I couldn't imagine him being careless, especially when Holly and his friends are involved."

"So, what are we going to do about Sam?" Jade asked. "He refuses to stop coming here. He's been hounding me for answers and Leah's whereabouts. I'm not a terrific liar." She put her arm around Leah's shoulders. Jade knew as well as everyone at that table that if Sam were to find Leah at this point in time he would tear her apart for any insight into the whole debacle, literally. Leah had explained to Jade the moment she got in the door that Sam had been looking for her, causing her to leave all the lights off and the windows closed. He had been to the house three times before Jade arrived home and had proceeded to keep checking another several times; Jade giving him the same story every time and Leah hiding in either the bathtub or the closet in the master bedroom.

Billy sighed heavily, "We can't do anything until Jacob gets back or until he does something drastic." He was thinking about the laws of the pack; he was not going to be one to break them. Besides, he had to get approval of all the elders before stripping Sam of his position, and that would be a challenge considering many of the elders were too traditional for their own good.

"What is considered _drastic_ exactly?" Jade was getting defensive now. She was not about ready to let Leah get hurt for preventable reasons. "Finding her? Beating her until she says anything? This is ridiculous, Billy! He could kill her for God's sake!" Leah shuddered and tried to wave Jade down, who was now flailing her arms and throwing her fists down on the table. Leah didn't want them to be concerned about her well being when four of the pack were missing and could possibly be dead. They had no way of telling and they were too far away to be heard by anyone.

"Jade, until we have grounds to do so we can't take him out of the position he's in. You'll never get everyone to approve. You'd have Gordon and I and Old Quil, maybe." Billy explained, sounding more serious than anyone had ever heard him speak before. Billy was always the optimistic one; to see him in denial meant that there was no way it was going to happen. Jade, again, wrapped her arm firmly around Leah's shoulders, who reacted by resting her head down on Jade's shoulder. She was being more of a mother the past few days than hers had ever been in an entire lifetime. "Keep Leah here, she's safer here than anywhere else. And Leah," Billy leant towards her face signifying his terms, "whatever you do, don't phase."

Leah nodded her head in agreement.

"I'll stay here with you guys." Fran proposed. "It will be easier if we are all together. Less problems."

"That's a great idea. I will too. It will be safer for Leah having us all here." Billy agreed. "I just need to grab a few thing from my house."

"Guys, really." Leah interrupted as they all began discussing the logistics of the arrangement. "I don't need babysitters. I can handle Sam." She knew it was a blatant lie, as did Billy and everyone else.

"No, Leah, you can't." Billy shook his head. "I'm sure you are aware what he is capable of, you're cousin is the prime example, if I must remind you."

If this conversation made Leah shudder one more time she feared she might disintegrate into pieces. Of course she knew what he was capable of. Everyone had seen the outcome of his rage, and as much as everyone blamed it on the fact that he was not used to the effects of phasing, Leah knew otherwise, as did Billy. When he 'hurt' Emily, well, destroyed her face, it was no accident, it was his nature and it wasn't the first time he had acted violently towards someone he loved. Leah had experienced the same kind of abuse only not when he was in the form of a six-foot, raging wolf. They had dated for years before Sam phased for the first time and he had a temper back then. When he had imprinted on her cousin Emily she was mad, but at the same time she was scared that Emily was going to get hurt the same way she did. Leah tried everything to get Emily to return to her home on the Makah reservation, causing everyone to scrutinize her for being 'jealous,' apparently. She wasn't going to lie, a part of her was, but she was more so worried for Emily – she wasn't as strong as Leah was. Eventually, Leah gave up. He was Emily's problem now, and if she chose not to listen to Leah, then it was her own damn fault. Although, Leah knew that Sam beat Emily on a regular basis. He was an intimidator; if he didn't have control over someone then he would lose his mind. Like when Leah stopped caring that Sam and Emily were 'happily' together, for example. Sam went psychotic and tried to make Leah jealous at every possible opportunity. If they were on patrol together he would think about having sex with Emily, for instance, and he would think about things he knew would bother Leah, especially if they were close to each other. When he had found out about her and Embry, he had taken her off patrol all together, knowing he had lost control of her completely and could no longer manipulate her emotions. He was one of the worst kinds of men.

Billy and Fran took off quickly to grab some things for the next few nights, not completely positive in regards to how long they would be staying there, leaving Jade and Leah by themselves. Leah immediately began cleaning the already immaculately spotless house; it was all she had to do, and she needed to keep herself occupied to avoid thinking of their current situation. Jade had gone off to check if the twins were finally asleep, leaving Leah to her pointless cleaning. She had just finished wiping the counters in the kitchen clean when there came a heavy knock on the front door. Leah immediately ducked to the floor and Jade rushed into the hallway, motioning for Leah to crawl around through the living room and into the hallway that lead to the bedrooms to avoid going past the door. Leah did as she was told and crawled quickly into Jade's bedroom just before Jade opened the door. Hearing Sam's deep, husky voice didn't come as a shock to Leah.

"I know she's here, Jade." He sounded angrier than usual. Leah felt her knees begin to tremble.

"Sam, really, I already told –."

"Jade. I saw her through the window!" He was spacing his words out, Leah could picture him trying not to lose it. She had no idea what to do until she heard a loud thump and Jade screech. "I. Want. Her. Now!" Leah thundered out from the bedroom only to find Sam holding Jade up against the wall by the collar of her shirt.

"Put her down. Now." Leah yelled. He listened, much to Leah's surprise, and dropped Jade to the ground. His growled chuckle sounded as he grabbed Leah by the arm and dragged her outside in one fluid movement. She could hear Jade screaming behind them but it was no use, they both knew neither of them stood a chance against Sam. He continued to drag Leah around the side of the house and down towards the water.

"You never cease to amaze me, _Leah Clearwater_." He spat her name as if it were a bug that flew into her mouth and threw her to the ground at his feet. "Putting other people in danger to save yourself, how noble of you." She knew he was just trying to guilt her. What she also knew was that he was the only person to ever be able to make her believe anything that came out of his mouth. "Now, we're going to play a little game." He hissed as he grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her back up so her back was pressed up against his chest. "I know you love games." Sam licked her ear making her cringe in disgust. "This game, however, is not like the dirty games you like to play. Sorry about that." He threw her back to the ground. "This game goes something like this, you tell me where the little morons went, and why, and they don't come home to find you in pieces scattered around the forest. Are we clear?" Leah choked back tears and she tried to get up from the ground. She then felt a swift kick hit her ribs and she was back down. "I didn't say you could get up!" Sam roared from behind her. "Now answer me!"

"I don't know, Sam, really I don't." Leah felt another kick at her side. "Sam! Stop!" She screeched.

"I love hearing you scream my name." Sam hissed, bringing his face down to hers. "But that's not part of the game. You have two more chances. I'm being generous, Leah, don't fuck with me. Even though I know you want to."

"Sam, they just left, I really have no idea!" She choked, writhing on the ground in pain. Feeling another kick in the side and Sam grabbing the back of her head by her hair, she screamed again. Tears streaming down her face in buckets now. All she could think about was Embry. Where was he? She needed him now more than ever but at the same time she didn't want him to have to witness this. Sam would be able to stop Embry before he did anything to try and save her. That was how the pack's lineage went; there was nothing anyone could do.

"You know what Leah, fuck your last chance!" Sam growled, picking her up off the ground by her neck and tossing her against the tree; the side of her face scraped against the bark. Leah was sure she was bleeding now. "But, instead of killing you first, I'm going to make it so you're begging to be dead." He felt his hands grab her from behind as he began ripping down her shorts. She clutched the tree hard, knowing that there was no use trying to get away. She could hear him undoing his belt, already wishing that he had just killed her.

* * *

"Where's Quil, Jacob?!" Holly continued to scream as they continued to run through the streets that lead back to the flea market parking lot where Embry and the jeep were.

"I don't know Hol'!" Jacob roared back, trying to get to the jeep as fast as he could. "Just get to the jeep, I'll go back for him after!" Within the next moment they were emerging from an alley way and sprinting towards the parking lot where the jeep's headlights were already shining bright. Embry met them halfway with the jeep and Jacob through Greg into the back seat. "We got to go find Quil!" Jacob yelled at Embry whose gaze widened into a look of terror. He jumped from the driver's seat and they were off back towards the alleyway. Holly hopped into the driver's seat and turned towards the entrance at the other end of the survey. Greg was shouting something illegible as Holly whipped through the gear shift down the familiar darkened streets, desperately searching for the bald-headed, baby-like best friend she wished she hadn't of dragged here.

Jacob and Embry split up through parallel alleyways eventually making their way back to the smoldering blaze of purple smoke and iron and was once the garage. Jacob had almost lost all hope until he heard a familiar roar and a noise that resembled a crack of thunder echoing in the silent night. He ran faster towards the smoke that billowed over the rest of the buildings and phased with no hesitation. The fence that they had hopped to get to the back door of the garage was beginning to burn quick as he reached it. Hurdling over it effortlessly he found Quil taking on two vampires that Jacob didn't remember seeing. Without faltering Jacob took one of them out, leaving Quil to annihilate the other one. Embry burst into the yard just as Jacob was throwing the body of the limbless vampire into the blaze. Sirens sounded in the background as they rushed from the yard back towards the road. The phased back as soon as they emerged from the alleyway. At the end of the street they saw the jeep fly past. Within two seconds it was back in view as Holly reversed the vehicle backwards down the street at close to 60mph.

Without giving her time to stop the boys jumped onto the back and climbed through the open windows. They were off into the night without stopping, away from the blaze, away from the blaring sirens that seemed to be everywhere and away from their old life.

"So what are we going to do?" Embry asked as he and Jacob held Quil's broken arm in place, worried that it was going to heal wrong and have to be broken again. Greg, still in shock, watched from the front seat as Holly turned towards the highways that lead back into the states.

"We can't take him to La Push." Holly reasoned. "His scent will lead them there. Do you still have family in Idaho, Greg?"

He nodded his head, still unable to speak.

"We'll have to take you there then." Holly thought of a plan. "Jacob will carry your stuff and I'll carry you, although, you will have to change into some of our clothes to hide your scent. If we do it right we can go around in circles a bit and confuse the shit out of them. Eventually, if we're lucky and they lose your actual trail then they'll give up. Quil and Embry, you guys head back to La Push to warn everyone. We have to do this fast." Everyone just nodded, knowing this was their only shot.

Once they got past the border they drove until they were just over two hours away from the reservation. They pulled the jeep to the side of the road and Embry took the driver's seat. Quil remained in the back with his arm in a makeshift sling; it would be healed by the time they reached the reservation. Holly tossed Greg some clothes and he changed into them. Jacob grabbed Greg's bag and rubbed Quil's and Embry's scent onto it to try to disguise it.

"Hopefully they're like the Cullens and can't stand our stench." Quil joked from the back of the jeep and Jacob smiled his way.

"It's all we're betting on right now."

"Alright," Greg finally worked up the nerve to speak. "I'm sorry, call me a fucking moron here, but what do you mean you are going to _carry _me there?"

"You'll see." Holly smirked as she walked backwards into the forest. She still hadn't worked up the nerve to change in front of everyone. When she emerged from the cover of the trees she was a glistening white wolf. Jacob did the same and emerged as a wolf as well, only two feet taller. Greg looked at them with an incredulous look on his face. Holly motioned for him to climb onto her back and they were off just as Quil and Embry sped towards the reservation in the jeep, and before she could tell Greg to hold on.

* * *

"Sam…. Sam!" Leah wailed into the night. Her face was scraping up against the bark as Sam took advantage of her. "Stop-p-p… p-p-lease." She knew Jade could hear her from in the house but there was nothing anyone could do. Leah was going to die; she could feel it.

It felt like hours before he stopped. Even after then he continued to beat her senseless; punching her in the face, throwing her on the ground, kicking her in the ribs, his abuse never ceased. He would yell and scream at her until she would say something that made him chuckle and then he would start all over again. Just as she was about to scream once more, headlights shone down to where they were and Gordon Juturna's booming shout echoed behind them, "Samuel Uley, you get the fuck away from her!" She heard a gun click, causing her gasp. The kicking ceased and she could hear Sam laugh again.

"You think a fucking gun is going to stop me, Gordon? Huh?" Leah looked up to see Sam turn to face Gordon who was standing with the gun aimed at his face. If Leah remembered the stories correctly, Gordon had incredible aim. Jade and Fran were ducked behind him and she could see Billy's silhouette in the passenger's seat of the truck.

"Get away from her Sam, don't test me." Gordon shouted once more; he was going to protect Leah at all costs, even if that meant firing the rifle he clutched in his arms.

* * *

Embry and Quil crossed the border into the reservation in record time, passing Jared, who was patrolling the north end, along the way. He had a grim look on his face as he saw the jeep's familiar headlights, making Embry a little uneasy. He wanted nothing more than to be home; he had more than a lot of apologizing to do to his mother and Leah. _Leah_, he thought to himself; he missed her more than he could have thought possible. It was decided, he was never leaving her again if he could help it.

"Claire is going to murder me." Quil said glumly from the passenger seat, his arm healed and was out of the sling now, just like they had expected.

"Dude, she's four." Embry chuckled. His thoughts consumed by Leah's face.

"Three and a half, actually, but dude, that kid has nails!" Quil complained. "And you know Saturdays are our days. I promised her I would take her to get hot chocolate and play with the chalk I got her last week. She's going to be so disappointed."

"For once," Embry sighed. "I know how you feel man."

Quil decided that he was just going to crash and Embry's for the night; it was already late and chances were Jade would still be awake. Embry pulled into the familiar gravel drive of his house, headlights illuminating the darkened structure. The only light came from the side of the house, where Gordon Juturna's pick-up truck was facing the lake; they couldn't see anything else.

"What the hell's going on?" Quil questioned worriedly. The setting was more than strange. Embry, more nervous than he had been that night in the garage with the vampires, hopped out of the driver's seat. At the sound of the door slamming, Fran came running around the corner.

"Boys, stay there!" She shouted. Her face was hidden by darkness, but they could tell by the shaky tone of her voice that something was horribly wrong.

"Fran, what's going..." Quil began to ask but was cut off by Gordon's booming shout from the side of the house.

"Get away from her Sam, don't test me!" Embry's heart froze.

"Leah!" Embry shouted at the sudden realization of what was going on. Pushing past Fran he ran around the side of the house and the picture was worse than he could have ever imagined. His mother was ducked behind Gordon who had his rifle aimed down the hill that lead to the water. Billy was leaning out the passenger window of the truck with another rifle trained in the same direction. When Embry's eyes followed the aim of the guns, horror struck every sense in his body.

Sam was facing them, chuckling even under the threat of guns, and had bloody scratches down his arms and covering his face. Behind him, Leah lay naked and covered in dirt and blood. It looked like she was struggling to get to her feet, let alone breath, and her face was covered in scrapes and there were bruises already beginning to show on her body. She had been fucking tortured. Without even thinking, Embry pushed past everyone, descended the steep hill, and phased in one fluid leap. Without even letting his feet touch the ground he crashed into Sam just as he was phasing himself. Embry went immediately for Sam's neck – he didn't fucking care about lineage or any goddamned pack, Sam was going to die for even laying a finger on Leah. Embry sunk his teeth into the half-phased flesh around Sam's neck and took a good chunk of fur and skin into his teeth. He had to do this fast, before Sam could get a grip and tell Embry to stop, or else Embry was going to be the one left dead after this. Embry continued to claw and bite the pathetic creature beneath him until he heard a roar escape his mouth.

"_Embry Call, you step the fuck down." _Sam ordered and immediately it felt as if an invisible chain yanked Embry off of him. Sam stumbled for a moment to get up, giving Embry enough time to figure out where Leah was. A wave of relief flashed over him for a second as he saw Quil, who had phased into a giant black wolf, carefully carrying a wounded Leah up to Gordon, Fran and Jade. Gordon, Embry noticed, still had the gun trained on Sam. The relief disappeared as Sam turned to Embry and flew at him, knocking him further down the hill into the shallow part of the lake. Embry could hear Leah's frantic cries; he wished to God that she didn't have to watch this. Just as Embry watched Sam dive at him again from where he was standing, Quil crashed into him, throwing them both into a tree. Embry watched as his friend tore away at Sam some more. If Sam hadn't been as strong as he was, there would have been no way he would have gotten a shot in against either Embry or Quil, but he did. He kicked Quil right in the stomach, sending him flying backwards, giving Sam just enough time to order him down too. _"Now, you maggot, you're going to half to watch me kill your best friend as punishment for that little stunt you pulled just now." _

Embry roared out loud and tried as hard as he could to break the invisible chain that held him back from tearing Sam's head off. Sam got ready as Quil backed up and braced himself; Embry closed his eyes. Sam, only adding to the fact he was in complete of them both, chuckled as he dove at Quil with a running start. Quil braced himself only to hear the loud cracks of two gunshots soaring through the air, followed by a deafening roar and a splash. Embry and Quil looked around frantically, trying to figure out if each other had been shot. When they met gazes they realized that it was neither of them, it was Sam. They looked around only to find Sam lying on the ground, whimpering, with two bullet holes; one in his shoulder and one in his left knee. He was so wounded that his body phased back, leaving him vulnerable and slipping out of consciousness. Gordon and Fran ran down the steep hill, shouting at Quil and Embry to not move.

Quil phased back first and it took Embry several moments to calm down. His blood still boiling and the urge to tear Sam Uley into tiny pieces were still overtaking every sense of logic in his body. Quil, in his human form, stood in front of Embry in the water, knowing that Embry was not going to tear through him to get to Sam. Gordon picked Sam's unconscious body up and carried him up the hill and mumbled, "It's a good thing we have a conscience you bastard."

"You don't want to sink down to his level, man, even if he does fucking deserve it." Quil assured Embry, who was still trying to calm himself down enough to phase back. "He'll get his as soon as Jake gets back. You did the right thing." Embry knew they were taking him to the healers and a part of him hated them for it, but at the same time, he knew Quil was right. After taking a few deep breaths, Embry phased back.

"Thanks man." Embry could not express enough gratitude to Quil. The guy risked his life for him. "I owe you one."

"Nah." Quil shook his head. "You saved my ass from burning, demonic motherfucking bloodsuckers just a few hours ago. It was the least I could do. Now go help Leah."


	35. Chapter 33

I would have liked to make this a little longer but I had to wait for Jacob's return.

Some intense shiz going on.

Enjoy.

And reviewing will only make Jacob angrier at Sam

* * *

Embry ran up the hill as fast as he could only to find Jade holding Leah up against the truck. Leah was crying incomprehensively and reaching towards Embry as soon as he came into her sight. Tears began to well in his eyes as he scooped her up in his arms, careful not to disrupt her healing bones. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He cried, showering her dirty face with kisses. Embry took her right into the bathroom and held her wounded body in his one arm as he filled the tub with warm water. Once it was filled he carefully placed her in the water and secured a towel behind her head in attempt to make her more comfortable. He poured Epsom salts and baking soda in the water around her, carefully watching to make sure she was still conscious. He jumped when he heard a knock at the door but it was only Jade bringing in a pair of shorts for Embry and pajamas for Leah. She gave him a reassuring nod and closed the bathroom door.

Other than the occasional heave, Leah was growing calmer. Once Embry felt she was fully relaxed he added a bit of hot water to the tub to make sure it wasn't getting cold. Then he went to work. He scrubbed her entire body, top to bottom, with an extra soft loofa and cloth covered in baby soap, careful not to disturb the wounds that had closed. By the time he moved on to her hair the tub was a pool of blood.

"Sorry baby, I just have to lift you out for a second." Embry whispered as he gently lifted Leah from the tub. He emptied the dirty water and replaced it with clean, clear, piping hot water. The moment he tried to place her back in, loud, uncontrollable sobs erupted from her chest and she flung her unbroken arm tight around his neck, burying her face in his chest.

"E-e-em-em…" She cried out loud; Leah had never been in this much pain in her entire life. Not just the physical pain, that was nothing compared to the emotional distress she was feeling right then. She breathed deeply, attempting to calm herself down but it was hardly working. She did not want to leave Embry's arms ever again. "You saved me, Embry, you saved me." Leah continued to sob.

At that moment, Embry broke out into tears as well. He hated himself more than ever. If he hadn't of left her then this wouldn't have happened. She would not be hurt right now. "No I didn't. I'm the reason you're hurt, Leah. I'm a monster." If those words hadn't stung enough, a hard slap came to his cheek. Leah had actually slapped him, hard.

"Shut up!" She cried. "If you didn't come back. I would have been dead." She looked at him in the eye and swore that she would never leave him in a silent oath that he agreed to with a nod. His lip was trembling as he sobbed. Then, in that moment, Leah said something that neither of them had ever said, "Embry, I love you, more than anything in this world."

Without saying it back, Embry removed the chain that was permanently around his neck. His mother made it long enough so that it would break off when he would phase. Attached to it was a ring that was given to him by his grandmother before she passed away when he was ten. She instructed him to give it to the woman he would love more than anything and the ring would make it so they would never be apart. Embry took the ring off its chain and took Leah's left hand from around his neck and held it for a moment. He then kissed her ring finger and slid the engraved golden ring over the wet mark of his kiss. "I love you too, Leah. Never again will we be apart."

* * *

Jacob and Holly flew through the forest as fast as they could. To the untrained eye it would seem as if they were going around in circles but Jacob was pretty confident that they were heading in the right direction, as he never saw the same mark twice. Greg was clinging onto Holly's neck just behind him. Jacob had protested that he carry Greg but Holly provided the very good point that if she carried him it would slow her down enough that Jacob would be able to keep up, so Jacob agreed to carrying Greg's bags. They hadn't realized they had been running all night until the sun began to rise.

"_Do you need to stop Holly? Or do you want to keep going?_" Jacob asked without stopping.

"_I don't think we can afford to stop babe." _And with that they kept going, careful that when they reached clearings they would do as best as they could to make it through without being seen. Jacob was sure they had crossed the border to Idaho by mid afternoon and he estimated that they would be in the town where Greg's family lived by the evening. Nevertheless, he anticipated correct and they reached Grangeville, Idaho around six o'clock. Just before emerging the western treeline, Jacob and Holly phased back and dress with the clothes they brought for themselves. Greg was still rattled by the whole experience and began to worry that his family wouldn't accept him. Holly knew that his mother was not like that.

"Don't worry, Greg, unless your mother has turned into a heartless bitch she will welcome you with a big hug and then rush off to make your favourite cookies." Holly giggled, rubbing her nervous friend's back as they walked casually through the town. It was a very quiet, country town with friendly family restaurants and shops. They knew that his mother ran a bed and breakfast just north of the town and they were there by eight on foot. Greg sighed deeply as they approached the door and knocked. When the door opened, Greg's mother Susan appeared. She was a short, stalky woman with grey hair and a lot of heart. The moment she saw her son she cried out and flung her arms around him.

"My baby has come home to Mama!" She shouted out loud as she laughed and continued to hug Greg. "And he's with little Holly!" She then moved over and gave Holly a giant hug as well. His mother was someone that never fit in to the Vancouver scene and moved not long after Greg turned thirteen, leaving him there with his older brother Mark, who ended up in jail not long before Holly left for La Push. She had always secretly felt guilty for leaving Greg there with no one but she had no other choice.

Greg and Holly introduced Jacob to Susan and they were invited in for dinner. After a quick, but hearty, meal and explaining their fabricated story as to why Greg was there. Holly and Jacob insisted that they had to get on the road home, saying that their bus left at ten-fifteen. Greg knew, however, that they were leaving in order to keep him safe. He saw them out of the grand, colonial style home and thanked them over and over again for saving his life.

"Keep in touch eh?" Greg said, giving Holly a hug. "Send me a letter every now and then."

"I will." Holly agreed and they were off into the night. As soo as they were covered by trees they phased and ran back towards home. At around four in the morning, Jacob suggested that they stop and get some sleep. Not long after they had passed the border back into Washington they found a small motel off the interstate. Jacob paid for the room and they hustled themselves into the tiny room. Holly sighed irritably, wishing that she was home and in her own bed, or Jacob's. Jacob felt the same way. They hadn't said much to each other but Holly knew that Jacob was a little worried about what they were going to be met with at home. He kept getting a feeling that everything was falling apart and Holly reassured him that it was nothing they wouldn't be able to handle, together. She constantly had to remind him that she was in this with him, they were a team and she was going to do whatever she could to take the stress off his shoulders.

"I'm going to go take a shower." Holly sighed and walked into the tiny bathroom adjacent to the room. Before undressing she turned on the water to the shower to give it enough time to get piping hot. She needed a hot shower, bad. Looking in the mirror her face was covered in dry mud and her hair was in a horrifying state. Turning away she took off the sweatpants that she had changed into after phasing back. Just as she was lifting the shirt over her head she felt a pair of rough hands grab her from behind and begin caressing her waist and hips. Pausing and savouring the moment of affection that she had infinitely missed for the previous few days, Jacob finished the motion, lifting her arms above her head and taking the shirt off for her. Holly lowered her hands behind her, pulling his face down to her neck where he left a trail of kisses and nibbles that sent shivers down her spine. She felt his hands moving up over her breasts and her breath hitched as his touch intensified. Within moments he had her turned around to face him and was kissing her passionately. He had wanted this all weekend but was held back by their situation. He wanted her _bad_.

Slowing it down a little, Holly took her time removing the few articles of clothing Jacob was wearing, driving him completely mad with desire. She slid off the ratty grey t-shirt over his head, replacing the skin the shirt had covered with soft kisses and licks. She then trailed her tongue down his torso to the waistband of his shorts. Holly knew every spot of Jacob's skin and what it would do to him if she touched it. Not taking her tongue from his skin she pulled the shorts down, exposing him completely. She continued down the line of his pelvis and took him full in her mouth, hardening him even more. His exhale was staggered as he leant back against the tiled wall, hardly being able to take the feeling of Holly's mouth around him. Just as he was nearing an orgasm, Holly stopped and pulled him into the small shower and closed the curtain behind them.

The steaming water fell over their bodies as they kissed and washed each other all over. Once the water began running cold, Jacob pulled Holly out of the shower with him and she straddled him as he stood, dripping wet, onto the thin towel that lay beneath them. They stood there for a few moments with their mouths plastered together until Holly motioned towards the bed with a nod. In two strides Holly was thrown onto her back and Jacob slid on top of her. They continued kissing, increasing the intensity very quickly, knowing that neither of them were going to be able to take much more of it. Holly then flipped over so she was straddling Jacob, who followed by sitting up and leaning against the headboard. Just as Jacob couldn't take any more, Holly moved her lips down his neck, entangling her hands in his hair.

"Holly," Jacob breathed, caressing her sides. "Please." He was begging for her now. With that indication, Holly pushed herself onto his erection; slowly at first and then faster as she noticed his arms flex and felt his hands violently grab her. Using the headboard for support she continued to go faster and faster until Jacob suddenly stopped. Giving her one frantic glance he flipped her over onto her back and she wrapped her legs around his waist, inviting him inside again. Within a few moments, Holly's scream echoed in Jacob's ear as he felt her sticky release all around him. Seconds later, Jacob moaned as he finished inside her as well. Collapsing on her sweaty chest, Jacob breathed heavily for a few moments as she stroked his hair back in a very soothing motion.

Jacob placed his chin on Holly's chest and they watched each other for a few moments until they fell asleep soundly in each other's arms. Neither of them realized how tired they really were.

* * *

After washing Leah's hair and carefully dressing her in the pajamas Jade brought in, making sure he didn't rupture any of her half-healed bones, Embry carried Leah to his bed and placed her on the side she usually slept. He noticed that scattered around the room were various articles of Leah's clothing. Sweaters and tiny white socks littered the floor, suggesting that she hadn't left. Leah noticed his curious glances and responded in a raspy croak, "After you left I never went home. I'm sorry, I know you don't like your room a mess." She sounded genuinely guilty, knowing that Embry's room was always immaculate and hers was, well, a disaster to say the least.

"You don't have to apologize for anything." Embry explained, carefully curling up beside her. Truth was the thought of finding little reminders of her presence in his room was kind of exciting. "Didn't your mother say anything about you being here?"

"I don't even think she noticed I was gone." Leah admitted, closing her eyes and stuttering a bit. Embry held her tighter, though, not as tight as he would have wanted to thanks to her numerous broken ribs. "Besides, I don't think Jade was going to let me leave."

"Well, I know she adores you and you can stay here as long as you want." Embry whispered, tickling her sides softly; he knew she liked that.

"At this point," Leah tilted her head up enough to meet his loving gaze. "I don't think I ever want to leave."

"Well," Embry said quietly, pushing a fallen piece of hair from her eyes. "I don't think I ever want you to."

With that said they both looked at each other and knew it was time to say goodnight. They were both exhausted, in every way, and they were both in need of a good night sleep even though Embry wasn't sure he wanted to let his guard down. He reached over and turned off the light, anticipating the little gasp that erupted from Leah's chest.

"Sleep with the light on when I was gone?" Embry asked, remembering her fear of the dark.

"Yeah." Leah admitted as she closed her eyes. "But you're here now so I can sleep perfectly." And with that she fell into a dreamless sleep, more comfortable she had been in a long time even with the broken bones and damaged body.

The next morning came dark and drearily and threatening to thunderstorm. Embry and Leah remained curled up close together tucked under Embry's thick quilt. Even with their scorching body temperatures, Leah felt a bit chilly and shrugged down further under the amazing smelling blanket. Not an inch of her wanted to move from that spot. Embry stayed tucked in beside her with his arm firmly curled around her torso, snoring softly. Leah wiggled her arm and upper body a bit to make sure there was no sharp pain, and there wasn't, indicating that her bones had healed fully. She was still, however, covered in bruises; something that the fast-healing pack never seemed to get rid of quick. Leah figured it would be weeks until they were gone.

She must have fallen back asleep because the next thing she remembered was the feeling of Embry stretching beside her. Carefully, she turned over to face him and he smiled faintly. Leah traced her fingers down his cheek to his lips and he closed his eyes as the tickling sensation left goose bumps on his arms. A dull grey light left the room feeling dark and cold but still enabling Leah to take a good look at her body. First thing she noticed was the fact she was clean from head to toe. Embry had scrubbed her body clean of all the dirt and blood, washed and conditioned her hair twice and even went so far as to clean underneath her fingernails; he must have been up for hours. Leah could faintly remember him refilling the tub several times in order to keep her warm and comfortable. Then he carried her off to bed and she had the best sleep since he had left and the moment he wrapped his arms around her was the moment all her troubles seemed to disappear. This morning, however, she knew she was going to have to relive every single painstaking moment of the night before.

When Embry opened his eyes he noticed Leah examining her bruises and welts that had fully developed over the night. Her legs were a medley of blues and purples and her arms were scarred with more bruises and cuts that Embry didn't want to begin to imagine how she got. He felt hot tears run down the sides of his cheeks without warning. Embry had never been a crier but he had cried more in those two days that he had in his entire adolescence. He was more the suffer-in-silence type, but at that moment seeing Leah in a state that he could have easily prevented more or less killed him. She noticed his anguish right away and lifted her arm around his neck and pulled herself closer. As they were lying face to face, only an inch apart, Leah showered his face with tiny kisses and wiped away the tears.

"Please, stop blaming yourself." It was as if she knew this would happen. "I really need you to stop, or else I am going to start feeling bad for making you upset."

"It's not you that's making me upset, Leah," Embry sobbed in a whisper, "It's the fact that I wasn't here to protect you, and the only reason…" He couldn't come to say the name, "_he_ did this was because we were gone, and he wanted answers. If we hadn't of left, this wouldn't have happened."

"Embry! For Christ's sake!" Leah grabbed his face in her hands and forced him to look at her. "This _needed_ to happen."

"What the fuck do you mean this _needed _to happen?" Embry ripped his face from Leah's hands and sat up with his back facing her, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Embry, if this didn't happen, then Sam would continue getting away with abusing the power of the alpha." Leah argued. Embry knew she was making perfect sense but he was not about ready to agree that Leah getting raped and almost beaten to death was not necessary. "And don't even try to argue with me because you know that I'm right."

"All I'm saying is that it shouldn't have happened to you." Embry rebutted. "Anyone but you." Leah sat up on the bed and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, kissing the back of his neck.

"He'll get what's coming to him, Embry," Leah reassured, "Jacob won't stand for it." Embry turned slightly and took Leah into his lap, allowing her to bury her face into his copper, toned chest.

"I know he won't… but the thing is, Leah," Embry looked at her in the eye as he spoke. "I know that you aren't okay. I know that this is killing you and you are putting on a brave face. I know you better than you think. And don't even try to argue with me about that because you know I'm right." And he was right. Leah was preparing herself for the day ahead of her and in order to do that she needed to push all her disturbance away and deal with this head on. Embry, however, knew that she was going to descend into a psychotic downward spiral very soon; the same thing happened when Sam and Leah broke up in the first place. Embry was not about to let that happen again. He was going to be there for her one hundred percent. Now, all they needed to do was wait for Jacob and Holly to return. Jacob was their only hope.


	36. Chapter 34

I am a terrible person, you can say it, it's okay.

First of all, I appreciate all of you who have stuck around through this harsh bout of writer's block. It's been a tiring bitch that won't shut the fuck up and go back to bed.

Second of all, I am sorry for the length of this chapter. The next one will be long as it will involve the fate of Sam and OOOOOHHH will that be fun to describe. The gruesome stuff is to come, just wait. There will be some intense eclipse-like action coming up :D

Third of all, have I mentioned how much I love you all? Virtual brownies being sent your way. For real.

Fourth.. of.. all (?), tell me if you want to see more in the Cullens POV. I'm partial as to whether it is necessary or not. You could also let me know if you would like some more dirty stuff. Because I definitely enjoy writing them.

oh, and do me a favour and review. please. for the sake of new chapters.

:)

* * *

Before dawn even broke Holly and Jacob were flying through the forest that lined the interstate back towards the reservation. Holly had awoken abruptly in the middle of the night as a result of a terrifying dream. It was a mess of trees and she could hear sneering and snapping and a familiar screech. Throughout the whole dream she could see nothing but foliage and skin being torn and bruised. Only when she was jolted awake did she realize the screech had come from Leah. Startling Jacob awake with her heavy panting, Holly explained that there was something wrong – she could feel it. With that it didn't take them long to be well on there way to the reservation.

For the last leg of the trip Jacob felt himself growing more and more anxious; they were definitely in the radius to hear whoever was on patrol but he heard nothing but silence. Something was wrong, very wrong. Holly's mind was completely focused on finding Leah – wherever she was. They should have listened to Jacob's intuition the night before; they should have just kept going.

As they crossed the border the silence had turned almost deafening, as they couldn't even hear the soft pound of the paws of the patrol. There was _no one_.

"_We have to find Leah." _Holly cried. Her paws were beginning to tremble and she could barely balance herself at the speed she was running. Jacob didn't disagree and helped Holly attempt to find a hint of her scent. When they couldn't catch anything Jacob immediately turned towards Embry's. There was nowhere else he could think to look.

It took them only mere moments to reach the familiar overbearing oak wood cottage. In the drive they were met with Holly's grandfather's truck. Without one more questioning glance they phased back, dressed in the few shreds of clothing they had left and entered the cottage. In the kitchen sat Gordon and Billy at the head of the table, along with Fran, Jade and Loreen. When Holly and Jacob emerged into the kitchen they were embraced heartedly.

"What happened? Where's Leah?" Holly cried unstably. The images from her dream the night before were haunting her to the point it was giving her a migraine. She could barely even fathom the silence that was radiating from the several individuals in front of her. She was just about to scream when she heard a door close behind her and footsteps coming into the kitchen.

"Oh my god!" Jacob shouted. His tone deterred Holly from turning around to face whatever the horror was in front of him. "What the hell happened?!"

Holly gulped before finally turning around. What she saw was worse then she could have ever imagined. Embry, looking like he had gotten maybe twenty minutes of sleep, was standing in the entranceway of the kitchen with Leah propped up at his side and the shape she was in was horrifying. Her face was swollen and bruised and there were stitches across her forehead that looked to be almost healed. Her legs and arms were covered in a medley of blues and purples and the way she was standing indicated that she had a few broken ribs. Holly couldn't even begin to wonder what Leah had looked like the night before. They were only so lucky they healed so fast.

Leah was never a crier, but the look on Holly's face brought swirls of tears to her eyes. Taking a few slow steps forward Holly carefully wrapped her arms around Leah's neck and cried into her shoulder.

"What. Happened?" Jacob repeated his question through his teeth. His muscles were pinching and he was trying extremely hard to hold back from phasing. Someone was going to die for doing this.

"Sam." Billy croaked from behind them. "We have a serious situation on our hands Jacob." Jacob couldn't even respond. His eyes were clothes and everyone could here his deep breaths of frustration. He could have guessed Sam was behind all of this.

"Where is he?" Jacob closed his eyes and turned away from the kitchen full of people. He was not about ready to let everyone see the tears well up in his eyes as well. They were a product of his rage, he could never remember a time he was this angry.

"He's at the healers as we speak. Paul and Jared are watching him under strict orders by the elders not to let him leave until you came back." Billy explained, a strain of concern seeping through his every word. "Jake, you are the only one that can do anything."

"We know that you are anxious about taking the alpha, but Jacob, this has gone out of control." Gordon continued. "We can't hold out on this much longer." His glance shifted to Leah and back to Jacob. "And if you are worried about not being ready Jacob, my opinion still stands, you are more than capable of running this pack."

Jacob looked at is feet and sighed, he knew that if he had been holding out for the right time this was it. He glanced towards Holly who was still holding Leah in her arms with Embry flanking her other side keeping her upright. Holly gave him a more than reassuring return glance and smiled as best she could. "I want that bastard in the clearing in a half an hour." And with that said Jacob fled the house as fast as he could. Standing in the front yard he tried very hard not to tear the beautiful gardens to shreds. Everything in his world had fallen apart and he felt as if he was on the edge of losing all he cared for. The thought alone gave him shivers. Everything these people knew and cared for was resting on his shoulders and his decisions.

There was a number of ways to deal with such a treacherous act. Sam disobeyed the orders and used the power he had to manipulate and control everyone to his advantage. He took one of their own and tore her apart in everyway possible, as if he hadn't already done enough to hurt her. Jacob couldn't help but think that if he had made the more responsible decision of informing the pack they were leaving this wouldn't have happened. For a moment he doubted his capabilities; if he had so easily gone behind the packs back in this case, was he really ready to make decisions that everyone depended on? His judgment was impaired, especially when it came to Holly. He would do anything to make sure she stayed safe, what would happen if it came down to making a decision that would put her in danger? It wasn't fair to everyone else.

"Jake, babe." A soothing voice called from behind him. It was if her voice contained drugs that immediately settled him. "Come here." Instantly he felt himself turn to face her. Standing in the doorway stood Holly, wearing the shreds of clothing that had miraculously made it through the time they were gone, caked in grass, leaves and dried mud, and looking more beautiful than anyone Jacob had ever seen. She wore a reassuring smile on her face as she walked towards Jacob bare foot. That was something he had always loved about her, whenever she could, she went bare foot. It was amazing how easily her beauty distracted him.

"I don't know what to do." Jacob felt like crying, something he rarely did. "I'm not sure I can do this." He felt himself fall to his knees; even then his head was almost parallel with Holly's shoulders. Holly immediately wrapped her entire body around him in an elaborate embrace.

"There is nothing holding you back besides yourself. You can do this Jake." Holly soothed as she ran her fingers through his long, silky black hair. Once he calmed a bit she took his face in her hands, leaving her legs still wrapped around him. "I know you can."

And suddenly, that reassurance was all Jacob needed to hear.

* * *

"Why are we all out here tonight?" Rosalie grumbled as she ran staggered behind Emmett, making a sad attempt at keeping up with his long strides. "Emmett, for all that is holy, please slow the fuck down!" Emmett immediately slowed his pace, forgetting that Rosalie was not used to keeping up with him and remembering that she was not the optimum person to turn to when it came to patrolling grounds, especially those that are under the control of filthy dogs.

"Sorry Sweets, I'm just not used to having you running with me." Emmett apologized. Rosalie and Emmett barely even hunted together. Emmett preferred the mountain dwellers where as Rosalie had distinct cravings for fish the majority of the time. She was so used to running at her own pace because no one ever joined her on a hunt down by the river. It was not as if the fish tasted any better than other creatures, Rosalie just preferred not to be covered in blood and partial organs. It made her feel less savage and more human in a way.

"That reminds me," Rosalie started as she hopped over bushes and small trees that Emmett had taken clear out of the ground as he ran past them. "You never answered my question, why are we all out here tonight? I knew the mutts were not all that resourceful but are they not capable of keeping watch of their own reservation? I mean really."

"Carlisle just said that there were a few internal affairs that had to be taken care of and they needed some extra patrollers until Jacob and Holly get back." Emmett explained.

"Where were they off to?" Rosalie questioned, a little more put off with the new girl. When she had first made an appearance at the clearing, Rosalie immediately noticed Jasper's strange reaction to her presence. He said later that she made him uneasy, as if he couldn't get a grip on her emotions. It was like she was stagnant, not living, besides the fact they could hear her heart beating. Then when she beat Edward in a race in her human form, everyone was shocked. Apart from that Rosalie felt a pang of jealousy towards the girl. She had always been a bit sour towards Leah because of her beautiful native features but Holly blew her out of the ballpark. Holly was absolutely stunning even as a wolf; Rosalie had never seen a white wolf that glistened the way Holly did.

"I don't know. But by the sounds of it, it's pretty serious." Emmett revealed all he knew in regards to the situation. Rosalie sighed irritably and continued on through the forest. Carlisle and Jasper were around as well, which left Alice and Esme to stay with Bella in attempts of making her feel not so left out after Sam requested she not be allowed to patrol with the rest of them.

"Fuck this, we have ran around and around several times and we still haven't found anything." Rosalie huffed as they passed trees that Emmett had already knocked over and stomped to bits. He was creating a new trail.

"Patrolling, Rose, is not about finding anything specific." Emmett explained with enthusiasm. He quite enjoyed the physical exertion. "It's about keeping an eye on things."

"Yeah, well the only thing this is doing is ruining my Puma's."


	37. Chapter 35

Lmfao, so much for archaeology readings. I had to finish this.

Chapter 36 is already started, so head's up. I'm stepping past The Great Writer's Block of 2009

Love in the form of reviews please. Good or bad.

* * *

Somebody give me a sign

That everything is going as planned.

And then everything falls away

Into the darkness of this shallow place.

The detail is striking.

The room's cold and frightening.

You'll kick and you'll scream,

You'll try everything to survive.

But you should know your fate by now.

They told me how I should be.

But I broke the mold somehow.

It's too late, too late, you keep trying to resolve the past right now.

But I swear I'll be the one

To let the world know what you've done

To me.

My Life For Hire – A Day To Remember

* * *

Jacob could hear every voice in the clearing as if they were all shouting out loud directly in his ears. Everyone's thoughts reflected the same thing, what was going to happen to Sam after what he did. No one had ever witnessed a change in command, and there was a giant cloud of doubt that heaved over the entire pack. Jacob, along with everyone else, was completely clueless as to what was supposed to happen. Only Old Quil had ever witnessed some sentiments of a change in command and it was back when he was only a child and his memory was very clouded. So Jacob was going into this without a clue as to what was going to happen. Jacob knew for sure that there was no way he was going to let Sam retake control of the pack and he was sure that everyone had his back if it came down to it. Jacob had sworn that he would see Sam's head detached from it's body before he would be allowed any sentiment of power again. That bastard was going to pay for what he did.

Holly stood a few steps back from Jacob, waiting for something to happen. She tried her very hardest to think positively but she knew that there would be bloodshed before anything else. Her senses told her that whatever was going to happen, was not going to be good. They were on the brink of disaster and everyone seemed to know it.

They stood in the clearing for what seemed like ages but in reality probably less than an hour before Sam's scent filled everybody's noses. Jacob immediately began trembling, he was trying very hard not to phase. Everyone had agreed to remain in human form unless something drastic was on the verge of occurring due to the fact that Leah was still healing and leaving her as the only human was out of the question entirely. Holly placed her dainty hand on Jacob's trembling back and immediately soothed him. After a few deep breaths of her scent he was relatively calm again, that is, until Sam sauntered into the clearing flanked by Paul and Jared. The smirk on his face was conniving and untrustworthy, it was as if he truly believed he had done nothing wrong. His step was that of an arrogant son of a bitch and it made Holly want to vomit. When he took a look at Leah curled into Embry's side his expression turned to one of anger and something along the lines of jealousy. However, it only took him a moment to compose himself. He then began to chuckle at the sight. Jacob felt like clocking him in the face right then but he held his composure. This had to be done right.

Paul and Jared stopped about ten feet from where Jacob and Holly were standing, near the center of the circle. Everyone appeared to be gritting their teeth, as Sam stood alone amidst the group. Jacob could imagine the bloodthirsty thoughts that rang through the heads of the pack. It took him a moment to figure out what he wanted to say as it was not near any situation he had ever experienced. He took a few steps forward, centering himself in the circle as well.

"I'm sure you can figure out why we dragged you here, Sam." Jacob began, "But you never know, considering your common sense has seemed to have vanished all together."

Sam responded with a chuckle, "Look at Jacob Black, attempting to talk down to me. It's as if you truly believe you have some sentiment of authority over me." Everyone snarled in unison. "Oh give it a rest will you." Sam was not going down without a fight.

"Sam, you've disgraced everything that is this pack. You have lost all respect anyone has ever had for you. You took your authority and used it to your advantage, you used it to harm one of your own!" Jacob was roaring with rage now. "And to hell I have no fucking authority over you!"

"Jacob Black, I could tell you right now to step the fuck down." Sam was mere inches away from Jacob's face. "And when I do that I will tear you apart, limb by limb, piece by piece." He then lowered his voice to a whisper, allowing only Jacob to hear what he was about to say, "But only after I devour that hot mess of an imprint you have."

Holly's hair on the back of her neck stood straight up as Jacob and Sam stood face to face in the middle of the circle. No one could hear what they were saying or if the conversation was going south, but Holly had a feeling that it was not going to last much longer. Seconds felt like hours as they waited for something to happen. Then, all of a sudden, Jacob exploded into a massive mound of fur and tearing muscle before anyone could comprehend the reason. Next, Jacob had a half-phased Sam pinned to ground. He was roaring in what seemed to be either excruciating pain or intense fury. Seth and Quil were on their toes, waiting for a sign to allow them to join in, but the fight was nowhere near being over.

By the time Sam had finally gotten his bearings Jacob was tearing pieces of his flesh from his bones faster than they were healing. Just when everyone thought Sam was nearing his demise, he burst back with impeccable speed and pinned Jacob against a tree and jammed his jaw into the side of Jacob's neck. Hearing Jacob howl out in pain made Holly's claws come out faster than they had ever before. Before she could even comprehend acting logically, Holly side swept Sam off of Jacob, giving Quil just enough time to phase and jump on Sam's back. He took his sharp claws and tore away at Sam's back, leaving him mangled once again and wincing on the ground. Once Jacob straightened himself out he took a good look around the clearing. Holly and Quil were taking turns bashing Sam's head into the ground as everyone watched with hungry eyes. It took Jacob another moment to realize that everyone had phased with the exception of Leah, who was clinging to Embry's back.

"_That's enough."_ Jacob ordered, immediately resulting in Quil and Holly stepping back from a half-conscious Sam. _"Killing him now would be too advantageous for him. I want him to suffer more." _Jacob walked over to where they were and everyone in the circle seemed to have arranged themselves around Sam as well. _"Get up." _Jacob sneered as Sam cowered in pain on the ground. _"And don't you fucking think about saying something smart." _

After a few seconds Sam had healed enough to get himself off the ground. Once he was standing up straight the cocky smirk reappeared across his face as if he were ready for another round. Quil was holding Holly back as she was getting ready to launch herself at him once more. She wanted more than just another piece of him; she wanted him dead. _"Is that all you've got? Or should I tell you to step down now?" _Sam was playing his little manipulation game, the same one he used on everyone else. Minutes passed and nothing was said; Sam was right, Jacob had nothing left. Sam cackled boisterously, _"Well then it's settled, Jacob Black, I order you to bow the fuck down." _

Jacob's mind flooded with the command that was given to him. Every inch of his body seized as the power attempted to push him to drop to his knees. Jacob used everything he could to push the thought of being at Sam's mercy from his mind. Then, all of a sudden, it was as if the push was lifted from his shoulders. Everyone gasped, as Jacob remained planted in an upright standing position. Holly's eyes widened at the realization; Jacob was not under Sam's power anymore.

"_Maybe you should step the fuck down to me, Sam Uley." _Jacob countered, getting right into Sam's face. For a moment he searched his mind for something to do or say that would change the order but then it hit him. It wasn't about any ceremonial act, it just happened. When Jacob fully believed he was capable of running the pack then the order was restored. When Sam had commanded him to bow down, Jacob used his will to push it away. Without wanting the pack's command as bad as he did and without having chief blood running through his veins, he would have never been able to stand up to Sam, someone who was not generationally capable of running the pack. _"I order you, Sam Uley, to bow down." _

And with that said, Sam dropped to his knees and looked up at Jacob with an expression of a lost puppy. Everyone snickered to themselves as they saw Sam, someone who had manipulated all of them at one point or another, be stripped of every morsel of power he had. Although, once the initial shock wore off, the image of a beheaded Sam Uley flooded the imagination of every member of the pack. Jacob let them think for a moment. Watching Sam's face twist into a horrified manner was completely satisfying; for once he was getting a taste.

"_Are you all really going to side with that little slut? Really?"_ Sam finally spoke in attempts to turn everything around. _"After all she's done to make our lives miserable." _ Leah had remained unphased because she did not want to hear what was being said but the moment she felt Embry tense beneath her, she knew Sam had spoken her name. Before Leah could even fathom what could have been said, Seth, her baby brother, crashed into Sam kneeling on the ground and began scratching at his face. Even though she couldn't understand what he was saying, she could tell that Seth was crying in anger. He was a tough kid, but he had a tendency to cry when he was furious. Leah tried hard not to phase and buried her face in Embry's soft fur, she could no longer watch this.

"_The only reason she was ever miserable was you!" _Seth cried as he continually bashed Sam's face with his claws, trying hard to avoid Sam's sharp teeth. _"And then you go and pull this shit! How DARE you touch her!" _It took both Jared and Paul to pry Seth off of Sam, who was beginning to phase back from injury. Everyone watched in silence as Sam phased fully back to his human body. He laid on the ground, cowering amidst the group. Jacob wondered if Sam even knew where he was after the beating he had gotten from Seth.

Jacob, however, was not finished.

He phased back and everyone followed suit. Leah did not let go of Embry as he phased back.

Jacob knelt down beside Sam and lowered his voice to a whisper, "Now you know how she felt." Jacob then peered over at Embry, who had yet to say a word. His face was twisted into a disgusted scowl as he tried to calm himself down enough to function. Jacob nodded his head and retreated to his spot beside Holly, who was having trouble staying in her human form. Embry then put Leah down carefully and walked towards Sam.

"On your knees." Embry croaked. When Sam remained on the ground, Embry assisted him and jerked him to an upright position. "I said get on your knees!" Embry roared, making everyone jump. Sam's face winced in pain as Embry had a firm hold of the back of his neck. Sam's face was mangled and swollen, his nose in pieces all over his face and his one eye forced shut. There was blood dripping from every part of his body. "I should beat your fucking head in even more," Embry was eye to eye with Sam now, "But you don't even deserve the decency of dying." Embry then stood up and looked down at Sam, half-conscious and completely numbed from the pain. "You disgust me." And with that said, Embry took the final step and spit right in Sam's face.

When Embry took Leah back in his arms he could feel hot tears stinging his dirt-caked face. There was nothing he could have done to make Sam feel the pain that Leah had endured and for that he was sorry, but Leah's reassuring kiss made it all seem a little better, for when they opened their eyes the expression on Sam's face was almost funny.

"Jared, Paul, if you would please take this bastard home and make sure he stays there." Jacob asked quietly, Holly curled delicately into his side. They both nodded their heads and lifted Sam off the ground. Once they had him completely out of sight, Leah limped over and wrapped her arms around Jacob's torso. He embraced her carefully, making sure he didn't hurt her more.

"Thank you." Leah whispered loud enough for only him to hear.

"Your welcome." Jacob answered as he let her go. When he did, Seth took her into a giant, bear hug next. The poor kid was still crying. He was easily a foot taller than his sister but he still managed to curl his head into her shoulder, just like when he was a little lanky child and someone got the better of him. Leah stroked his head soothingly and choked up a bit too.

"I'm s-s-so sorry." Seth continued to sob into Leah's shoulder. He could feel her tears on the side of his head. "I should have been there, I could have stopped him."

"No one could have stopped him." Leah said in a low whisper; her eyes squeezed shut. "It had to happen."

Seth suddenly tore away from Leah almost knocking her to the ground, "What the fuck do you mean? Leah, really! This did _not _need to fucking happen!"

"Seth, calm down please." Leah steadied herself and walked towards her hysterical brother. "You don't understand."

"To hell I don't, Leah!" Seth was shouting towards Leah, almost as if he were accusing her of making the mistake. "I'm not a fucking child anymore! I should have been there, I should have saved you!" He couldn't even look at his sister anymore so he turned around only to be faced with Embry. "And why weren't _you _there, Em, huh? Oh, that's right. You left her here. I bet if you never left, this never would have happened!"

"Seth!" Leah screamed, "Stop!" But he ignored her.

"You know she loves you, Embry, she has for a while now. And when I first figured it out I thought it was a good thing. I thought you were a good guy. I thought finally someone would love her back like she deserved. Now I'm not so sure." Seth was right in Embry's face; it had been the first time he had stood up to any of them, _ever_. "And where exactly did you go, huh? It all seems a little too fucking weird for me. If I didn't know any better, I'd think it was planned!" And what happened next, happened fast. Seth basically pounced on Embry mid-phase. Reacting with impeccable speed, Embry phased as well. Neither of them noticed what was going on around them until a few seconds later when Embry had over-powered Seth and had him expertly pinned to the ground.

"_I know I have made more than my share of mistakes this past week,_" Embry began, still holding Seth to the ground. He might have been a tough kid, but Embry was easily the strongest and largest of the pack. _"But that does not take away from the fact that I love Leah, Seth. I love her more than you probably want to accept. And if I could have done anything to change this I would have, but you and I both know in the back of our minds there was no way of preventing this. We had no power over Sam's actions whether we were there or not_." Seth knew that Embry was right. If they had been there, who knows, it might have been worse for Leah having them watch her get tortured. Seth shuddered. _"Now, even if I can't change your mind about me, I can assure you that no one is ever going to touch her again._" He then let Seth free from under him. They looked around only to see that everyone who had remained had phased. Leah had jumped onto Holly's back and was almost hidden by the massive mound of white fur.

"_I think it's time to call it a night,"_ Jacob concluded. Everyone was out of their minds with stress and he knew that if he kept them here any longer, heads would start flying. _"We'll meet again tomorrow and we can explain everything we found out_." And with that said everyone parted. All who remained in the clearing were Jacob, Embry, Holly and Leah. Seth had run off, not wanting to face Leah after losing it. They all phased back and Embry took Leah into his arms; he always managed to make her feel like she was tiny. With a simple nod of the head, Jacob and Holly ran towards Holly's house, leaving Embry and Leah by themselves.

"Leah, I'm so sor-" Embry began but was cut off by Leah pressing her lips to his. She wrapped her warm fingers around his neck and entangled her other hand in the hair at the back of his head, all while being held in his arms. She didn't want to move because even though it wasn't, everything seemed right in the world.


	38. Chapter 36

Hi, my name is Stephanie, and I am a terrible person.

I've failed you guys. This chapter has been sitting on the computer, half finished for roughly two months. But there is this thing called second year university and it likes to ruin my life. I, however, only have my finals left. Then an entire christmas break to catch up on some good writing.

So I got a tattoo, one which you all would appreciate, it is down my ribcage and it says "The clouds I can handle but I can't fight with an eclipse." (Eclipse, Chapter 26, p. 600 :)) I also saw the New Moon movie, three times so far, and lets just say that my previous conception of Taylor Lautner has changed drastically. He is no longer sharkboy in my eyes. I thought, all in all, the movie was well done. Some awful acting by Kristen Stewart but that was expected. I think they need to go back and re-shoot Twilight because it doesn't even compare. The wolves were love x9827349723947324. That's all I have to say. Except the fact that as makes me want to tear off all my clothes.

So anyways, here's the chapter. And here's to hoping the next one won't take as long.

Big love.

* * *

It was a Tuesday.

Holly couldn't even remember the last time she knew what day it was, that's how bad things were getting.

She was well aware that she had eight years of homework to defeat, including an entire piano composition, her legs desperately needed to be shaved, her eyebrows screamed 'wax me' and she had to take Ty to get his needles, but she couldn't even muster up enough motivation to get out of bed and use the washroom. Jacob was sleeping soundlessly beside her and Holly knew she would have to wake him up for school soon if they were actually going to go. He looked so peaceful in his sleep and Holly felt a pang of jealousy towards Jacob's ability to just pass the fuck out. Even as she was drowning in exhaustion, Holly couldn't bring it to her to fall asleep after everything that had happened in the past week.

She continued to doze casually until an abrupt tap startled her state of numbness.

"Yeah?" She croaked, quiet enough to make sure Jake did not wake.

"I think it's a good idea if you guys go to school today." Billy spoke from the other side of the door. "Embry just called and asked if you needed a ride."

"What did you tell him?" Holly rubbed her eyes methodically, hoping she didn't already know the answer to the question.

"Well, I volunteered a 'yes,'" Billy admitted smugly. Holly knew as well that they needed to go to school; they still had _other_ priorities.

"Well, I guess we are going then." Holly sighed and sat up in bed. She waited until Billy's wheelchair had rolled out of the hallway before she placed her hand on Jacob's back and shook him gently. "Babe, you've got to wake up."

"What." Jacob gasped, completely rattled. "What happened?"

Holly giggled, but it was soon suppressed with a tired sigh, "Nothing happened, we just have to get up for school."

"Really?" Jacob asked, still basically asleep.

"Really." Holly assured as she climbed out of bed and stretched. Next she found herself in the shower under an umbrella of lukewarm water. Looking around she realized that it desperately needed to be cleaned and added to her never-ending list of things to do. She absentmindedly let the water run cold and silently cursed herself for forgetting that Jacob still needed to shower as well. After wrapping a towel around her body she glanced out the tiny window in the Black's bathroom only to find the same thing as she saw every other day; dark, dismal, and _rain_. When Holly first arrived in La Push she was in love with the fact it rained all the time, there was something about the misty ambiance that made her feel she was in a different reality. Now it felt like the rain was drowning her, especially when the sky was conducting a torrential downpour, like it was then.

She decided that putting on makeup was out of the question, not to mention she had very little at Jacob's house. So she combed through the wavy knots in her hair and craved to be able to use conditioner. The feminine luxuries she so freely enjoyed at her own house were not present at the Black's. They had one motto: if it's not necessary, it's not necessary. Normally it never bothered her, but her irritable mood was taking it like a hard hit. Once she worked her way through the knots, she did a simple flip of her hair and gave up; natural was in, that's what she kept telling herself.

Jacob was still in bed when Holly reentered the room. She tossed through the clothes she had there and settled on a pair of jeans that were desperately in need of washing and a floppy, off the shoulder sweater. Jacob opened his eyes only to find Holly fully dressed and completely ready.

"Easy there glamorous." Jacob said in the midst of stretching. "Who are you trying to impress?"

"Very fucking funny." Holly was not amused.

Jacob was taken aback by Holly's mood. "Okay then," and with that said, he went to shower. The cold water came at no surprise to Jacob; whenever Holly was there, the hot water was non-existent, but it did not bother him. Cold showers were just as effective as caffeine. Once he was finished he stared at himself in the little mirror and sighed. His hair was twisted into a complex knot and he was not looking forward to brushing it out. That was it.

He marched back into the bedroom to find Holly lounging on the bed with her iPod on. It sounded like she was listening to the new Jay Z album but Jacob wasn't sure, and he didn't care at that point. He stood in front of her until she looked up at him with a quizzical look on her face. She took out her headphones slowly.

"Cut it off." Jacob ordered.

"What? Cut what off?" Holly was confused. She was sure he was delusional from the exhaustion.

"My hair. Cut. It. Off." His fists were clenched. For a moment Holly found him to look rather comical. For once Jacob was feeling anguish in regards to his hair; talk about once in a lifetime moment.

"Are you sure?" Holly asked. She knew his hair was a soft spot. Everyone had tried to get him to cut it and he was so against the idea for as long as she knew him. Now, all of a sudden he wants it gone? She didn't want him to regret it afterwards. Besides, it wasn't like his hair ever bothered her. His reply came in the form of an irritated glare. "Alright then." Holly said and went to grab the scissors.

Once she was finished she allowed Jacob to look in the mirror. His peered at himself in the mirror and frowned.

"I can fix it once I have my actual salon scissors." Holly offered, knowing dull kitchen scissors do not produce the best looking hair cut, but she didn't think it looked _that _bad. She thought it actually looked rather good. The way she cut it revealed his high cheekbones and other facial features that the long hair hid before. He was a knockout; the girls were going to swoon even more the moment they saw him. For a moment, Holly regretted making him look better.

"No no, Holly, it's great. Better than any haircut I would get at the barber in town." Jacob was running his fingers through the short locks.

"Then what is it?"

"I just figured you would have cut it _all_ off." Jacob looked at her and smiled.

"Well," she said with a slight crooked smile. "I do need something to grab onto."

"You're bad." Jacob took her into a tight hug and laughed. If Embry hadn't knocked on the door right then, they would have not been going to school.

"No fucking way." Quil was literally hanging out of the jeep when Jacob and Holly emerged from the house, rain slapping him in the face. "No mother-fucking way!" They jogged to the shelter of the jeep and hopped in the back. Embry was completely speechless and Leah, who was also sitting in the back, ran her fingers through Jacob's short locks.

"It's about time." Leah stated, giving Holly a high five. "It looks amazing!" Her face was still covered in swollen bruises; Holly could tell through the make-up that Leah had applied in attempts to hide it. She had on one of Embry's sweaters and a pair of tights that hid the rest of the marks that were painted all over her body.

The entire way to school was spent in light conversation; everyone was trying to avoid what had been dealt with in the past few days. Holly remained quiet and observed everyone around her; she was in no talking mood. Quil was trying very hard to lighten the somber mood that had overtaken all of them but even he could hardly keep a smile on his face. Leah was shifting uncomfortable in her seat and flinching every time they hit a bump. Holly figured her bones had healed but the other injuries hadn't; she silently questioned why Leah even came to school. She noticed Embry peeking back at Leah through the rear view mirror every few minutes. A look of sheer guilt was exposed on his face every time he saw her flinch in pain. Holly couldn't help feel guilty as well. Jacob had already told her that morning that there was nothing she could have done to change what happened. What Sam did needed to happen and if it were anyone but Leah they wouldn't have survived. Leah was stronger than anyone gave her credit for.

School was drab and uneventful. Holly was regretting cutting Jacob's hair by the end of first period that morning. She was in the orchestra room just fooling around on the piano when she heard two flute players behind her going on about how gorgeous he looked. Holly could tell they were purposely talking loud enough for her to hear. For the most part Holly didn't mind, she knew they were just trying to get to her. Although once they brought up Justine, Holly felt her blood begin to boil. Not being able to bare another second in that room, Holly went directly to her teacher and asked to be excused. After all, she had her composition completed weeks ago. He let her leave without another question asked and she sped out of the room and into the hallway.

The only high school on the reservation was La Push Secondary. It was once well equipped, Holly assumed, but now it was quite literally falling apart. Ceiling tiles were covered in grime and the majority of lockers were impossible to open. Everything was just _old_. Holly, however, did not mind the place at all. It was one hundred times better than the school she rarely attended in Vancouver. She was glad, for the most part, that this place actually made attending school enjoyable. She threw her bag in the locker she shared with Jacob and wandered down to the gym.

Jacob sat silently tinkering under a junker while in the garage. Everyone had been left by themselves to do their own thing and Jacob had finished all of his assignments ages ago. He was enjoying the comfortable silence until he heard a few voices coming from the next car. Not realizing that Jacob was only inches away from them, they began talking about Leah.

"Man, is it just me, or has Leah Clearwater gotten hot?" One of them said. They were the type that were only concerned with their next conquest and figuring out the most attractive girl in school. A few of them were on the rugby team but Jacob did not know them personally. Trying to tune them out proved to be more difficult than Jacob had anticipated.

"I know, like fuck.," said another, "I bet it wouldn't be hard to get in her pants either. I mean, the whole thing with Sam Uley probably left her 'heartbroken'." They all laughed when he emphasized the word 'heartbroken.' Heartbroken, and Jacob knew better than anyone else, was a bit of an understatement.

"You going to be the one to fill the void, Jack?" One asked. Jacob could feel the blood boil in his veins. Regardless of how much Leah pissed him off, he was not about ready to let people talk about her like this, especially these swine.

"Fuckin' right I am." Jacob saw them shake on it from underneath the car.

"The only reason he is even going for Leah is because that Holly girl won't give him the time of day." One of them shot back, followed by a chuckle.

"Yeah, Jack, that Black kid would have your head if you went after her. He's fuckin' crazy protective of her." Added another. "And besides, I saw Leah glued to Embry Call's hip this morning."

"See she'd sleep with anything!" Jack concluded. Jacob had enough. He rolled himself out from underneath the car and glared in their direction. They went dead silent. Jacob casually wiped his greasy hands on the oil rag that he had left on the edge of the hood and walked towards the group. He easily towered them by half a foot.

"So, any of you utter either of those names again and Embry and I will have your heads. Understand?" Jacob threatened and slammed the hood of their car shut, leaving dents in the metal where his fingers were. He left the room right after. He walked slowly to the gym only to see Holly sitting up against a wall right outside the change rooms. He smiled her way and she smiled back. They knew that both had been having shitty mornings.

Jacob stood in front of Holly and looked down at her beautiful face. A slight smile remained on her face as Jacob leaned down and picked her up off the ground to meet his face. His kiss was soft and comforting yet had a sense of immediacy and ownership.

"I really don't want to be here." He whispered, parting his lips from hers.

"We could always go back to bed." Holly suggested quietly.

"No, I mean I don't want to be _here_." Jacob sighed, placing Holly back down on her feet. "I want to leave. Just run away and never come back. I want to be with you and only you and not have to be constantly worried that something is coming for you." Holly was silent as she looked down at her feet. Running away, the idea was so unrealistic and stupid but she had never been so inclined to do so. She would sneak into her house and grab whatever she could, Ty included, and they would drive with no destination, maybe someplace warm, maybe back to Canada. It wouldn't matter where they went just as long as they were together; She would never have to phase again, they would move until they felt they were safe. Then they would settle down, change their names, get jobs, start a family and live within the comfort of each other's arms. The whole picture had such a beautiful end. When she looked back into Jacob's eyes she knew that he had been imagining the same thing, and as much as they both wanted it more than anything, there was so much standing in the way; too much to leave behind.

The rest of the week proved to be just as bad, if not worse. The patrols felt longer and more intense, as they were actually looking for something. The Cullens continued to assist with the patrol and Jacob was more than ecstatic that Bella had not made another appearance since the meeting. He had enough on his plate. On top of the patrol they had their finals to worry about. They had all forgotten about their other responsibilities and realized that they were merely days away from term change. By the end of January everyone was just _exhausted_. Most went right from patrol to school or to study. When their last finals were finished the entire pack collected in Embry's living room and fell asleep. Leah was draped over Embry on one couch while Jacob and Holly snuggled up on the other. Jared was reclined in a chair with Kim in a ball on his lap. Seth, Colin, Brady and Quil all assumed the position on the floor; the sight was rather comical. It wasn't until Jade came in with the twins around seven did they wake up. At that point everyone went their separate ways with the exception of Jacob, Holly, Leah and Embry; they remained together. Jade made eight large homemade pizzas, which were gone in a matter of seconds, and they finished off the night watching The Hangover. At around eleven Jacob got up from the couch and placed a blanket over a half-asleep Holly. She knew she was supposed to patrol that night but her body was in no way responding.

"Where are you going?" She asked quietly, noticing that Embry was carrying Leah towards his bedroom.

"Patrol." Jacob whispered, kissing Holly's forehead gently.

"But you aren't on tonight, I am." Holly started to sit up in attempts to wake up.

"Sleep, baby, please." Jacob assured, covering her up with the blanket once more. "Stay here, I'll come back to get you in the morning." Holly knew it was because Jacob didn't want her to be left alone. He wanted to make sure she was safe and Embry was someone he trusted more than anyone. Of course he was going to make her stay there. Jacob, however, was right about one thing; Holly did need to sleep. Within two minutes of him leaving she was out cold.

The air was brisk but refreshing as Jacob phased and was on his way to the clearing to meet everyone. That night, however, there was a stir in the minds of the pack. Jacob grew more discomforted as he reached the clearing only to find Carlisle, along with Jasper, Emmett and Edward waiting.

"There's a problem, Jacob." Carlisle cut right to the chase as Jacob emerged from the cover of the trees, phased back into his human form. "A significant problem."

"What's happened?" Jacob inquired. Seth, Quil and Paul were gathered around Jacob in their wolf forms, listening.

"We were visited today by a clan of our kind. They were from Vancouver." Carlisle didn't have to say anymore. For the first time in a long time, Jacob phased uncontrollably. He wanted to tear everything in his vision apart. A part of him knew this was going to happen; yet he was still infuriated. Carlisle continued to explain, "They asked about… your kind, and if we knew of your existence."

"_And your answer was?"_ Jacob had to ask as a wolf, calming down enough to phase back was out of the question entirely.

"We played dumb. We said we weren't aware of any _dogs_ on our territory." Edward explained. Jacob knew he was the only one able to communicate with the wolves. "But they are very unsure of our story."

"_So what does this mean_?_" _Seth asked. Jacob knew exactly what it meant but waited for Edward to say it.

"They're going to come back. Only with more of them and ready to fight." Edward explained. "Only I'm very unsure as to why they are so concerned with your pack. I read that you caused quite a stir when you were there but there is something else. They want something else."

"Jacob," Carlisle addressed, "It won't be long before they are back."

Jacob understood what Carlisle meant right away, _"Get everyone together, I want the borders patrolled until this is over. No breaks. There is to be an emergency meeting as soon as possible. Carlisle, if you could take the border while we inform everyone."_

Edward translated for him. "Anything, my friend." Carlisle nodded his head in agreement. Everyone dispersed with the orders to be back in the clearing in an hour. Jacob let out the emergency call, shaking awake everyone, including Holly, who was immediately panicked. She jolted off the couch and ran into Embry's room.

"What the hell was that?" Holly screeched. The mere sound of Jacob's howl was worse than anything she had ever heard before.

"He's calling an emergency meeting. I've only ever heard that call once before." Embry was out of bed and looking out the window, watching for any sign of Jacob. Leah sat holding her knees on the bed. She nodded her head in agreement. The only time they had ever heard that call before was during the war with the newborns. Embry and Leah looked at each other in worry. It was only mere moments until Jacob bounded into the Call's yard. He phased immediately and ran into the house.

"Jake, what's going on?" Embry shouted the moment Jacob came through the door.

"They're coming for us," was all he could manage to say before they were out the window and racing towards the clearing.


End file.
